GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS Climate Action Plan
Transcript of GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS Climate Action Plan
GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
Climate Action PlanULSTER COUNTY, NEW YORKE X E C U T I V E O R D E R N O . 1 - 2 0 1 9
GOVERNMENTOPERATIONS
Climate Action PlanULSTER COUNTY, NEW YORKE X E C U T I V E O R D E R N O . 1 - 2 0 1 9
The lesson which life constantly repeats
is to ‘look under your feet.’
You are always nearer to the divine and
the true sources of your power than you think.
The lure of the distant and the difficult
is deceptive.
The great opportunity is where you are.
Do not despise your own place and hour.
Every place is under the stars.
Every place is the center of the world.
— JOHN BURROUGHS
| 3
Ulster County is a truly remarkable place.
From the wilderness of the highest Catskill
peak, to the Hudson River shore and from
the cliffs of the Shawangunk ridge to our
farm lands and valleys, it is not hard to
see why generations have been drawn to
this landscape for recreation as well as
inspiration. However, there is a hard truth
we must all face. The impacts of carbon
pollution and global climate change are
not just distant problems, their impacts
are already being felt right here and
now. For example, changes in tempera-
ture and storm frequency are impacting
our homes, livelihoods and our natural
communities. Given what we know, we
must wonder whether future generations
will have the same opportunity to expe-
rience this jewel we call Ulster County.
In Ulster County we do our best to show
others that we can do things differently
in government. We can be leaders. We
can change the course of government.
And that change, hard as it may be,
will not only benefit us, but will show
the way for others in similar circum-
stances and benefit the future genera-
tions that call Ulster County home.
This document, the Climate Action Plan for
Ulster County Government Operations, charts
a new path for our operations. Implementing
this plan will allow us to continue our net
carbon neutral government operations
and further meet energy conservation and
generation goals, doing our very best to curb
carbon pollution. However, implementing
this plan also builds on a process that allows
the county government to make systemic
and integrated improvements to operations
necessary to sustain lasting change. It is a
roadmap to a goal as well as a process to
create a culture that embraces change.
The environmental achievements of County
government and the greater commu-
nity are substantial. However, we need
to do more to protect this precious place
we call home and do our part to show
others that the tough choices needed to
address climate change are obtainable.
The quote from John Burroughs, opposite,
one of our country’s most famous natural-
ists and a long time Ulster County resident,
truly bridges the generations. The “Seer
of Slabsides,” who found his inspiration
and solace in the woods of Ulster County,
reminds us that real change starts with
us—that to solve even the biggest, most
daunting challenges, we start at home.
Climate change has been called the greatest
challenge of our generation. Please help
me in rising to this challenge, starting with
the opportunity that is beneath our feet,
in this home we call Ulster County.
Message from the Ulster County Executive Patrick K. Ryan
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Ulster County, New York | 5
GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
Climate Action Plan
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 9
Background 10
Plan Focus 11
Plan Framework 12
Plan Development 13
IClimate Action Leadership and Sustainability Guide 15
Current Climate
Initiatives 18
IICarbon Neutral Government Operations Strategy 23
Ulster County Carbon
Neutral Government
Strategy 25
Assess 25
Avoid 26
Conserve 27
Generate 28
Beneficial Electrification 29
Offset 30
The REC and Carbon
Credit Market 31
Future Action 32
IIIGreen House Gas (GHG) Inventory for UC Government Operations 33
Progress Towards Goals 35
IVImplementation Roadmap 39
GHG Emissions
Operational Goals 40
Initiative Timeframe 41
Buildings and Facilities 42
Vehicle Fleet 50
Transit Fleet 54
Policy & Procedures 57
Scope 3 Emissions 65
Implementation 68
VNext Steps: Amplifying and Expanding County Climate Action 71
Using the Plan as a
Framework 72
Expanding on the Scope
of this Plan 73
Building on Other Plans
and Initiatives 75
APPENDICESA. GHG Inventory Methodology 78B. Completed Projects 87C. Glossary of Terms / Acronyms 89D. References and Additional Information 92
LIST OF FIGURES
1. Operational Boundaries of GHG Emissions 112. UC Climate Action Plan Freamework 133. The Five Elements to the Strategy 254. Carbon Intensity Trend 295. 2018 Emissions Comparison Baseline 356. 2018 Net Zero Emissions 367. Emissions Trends by Sector 378. Emissions Trends by Energy Type 379. 2018 Building Emissions Intensity 3810. Climate Action Plan Goals by Sector 4111. Buildings and Other Facilities
GFG Reduction Strategy 4212. Vehicle Fleet GFG Reduction Strategy 5013. Transit Fleet GFG Reduction Strategy 5414. Policy & Procedure GFG Reduction Strategy 5715. Scope 3 GFG Reduction Strategy 6516. Climate Smart Communities Status 7217. Community Wide Action Planning 7418. 2012 UC Government Operations
GHG Emissions by Sector 8319. 2012 UC Government Operations
GHG Emissions by Energy Type 8320. 2018 UC Government Operations
GHG Emissions by Sector 8521. 2018 UC Government Operations
GHG Emissions by Energy Type 85
LIST OF TABLES
1. Carbon Offsets and Social Cost of Carbon 2017–2018 32
2. Distinction between GHG measures as applied toward reduction goals 34
3. Net Government Operations Carbon Emissions 354. External factors 2012 to 2018 365. Emissions Reduction Targets 406. Buildings and Other Facilities Action Items 447. Vehicle Fleet Action Items 518. Transit Fleet Action Items 549. Policy & Procedure Action Items 5810. Scope 3 Action Items 6611. Climate Action Plan Metrics 6812. Renewable Generation Sites 7913. Total Renewable Energy Generation 7914. Baseline Adjustment Methodology 8115. Adjustments to Normalize 2012 GHG Baseline 8116. 2012 Normalized Baseline Emissions Summary 8217. 2012 Normalized GHG Emissions By Sector 8218. 2012 Biogenic Emissions 8219. 2012 Scope 3 Emissions 8320. 2018 GHG Emissions Summary 8421. 2018 GHG Emissions By Sector 8422. 2018 Biogenic Emissions 8523. 2018 Scope 3 Emissions 8524. Scope 1 and 2 Activity Data from GHG Inventory
by Energy Type 8625. Assumptions for Employee Commute
Calculations 8626. Employee Data 86
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Acknowledgements
The Ulster County Government Operations
Climate Action Plan was prepared by
the Ulster County Department of the
Environment (UCDoE) from 2018–2019.
The UCDoE would like to thank all the
County departments and staff who
participated in the planning process and
provided feedback on this plan including
the Planning Department, Public Works
Department, Purchasing Department,
Ulster County Area Transit, Information
Services Department, Office of the Ulster
County Sheriff, Emergency Management,
Health and Mental Health Department,
Office of Economic Development and
Office of Employment and Training.
Special thanks to all those that reviewed
and submitted comments on the draft
document including: the Ulster County
Environmental Management Council, the
Ulster County Climate Smart Committee,
Hudson Valley Regional Council Clean
Energy Communities staff, Climate Action
Associates staff, and NYS DEC Office
of Climate Change staff. Fabia Wargin
Design provided graphic design services.
Amanda LaValle, Mandy Wolfson, and Nick Hvozda of the Ulster County Department of the Environment.
Introduction
Municipal governments provide a wide
variety of important and essential
services, but in so doing, consume
valuable resources including equipment,
supplies, and energy. This use of
resources on a daily basis comes at costs
to both the environment and to taxpayers
as it consumes financial assets as well
as resulting in Greenhouse Gas (GHG)
emissions. In 2018, Ulster County spent
$3.12 million on utilities (fuel, electricity
and heating) and emitted 9,238 metric tons
of greenhouse gases (CO2e).
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10 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
The scientific consensus is clear and unwavering. The burning of fossil fuel has increased atmospheric greenhouse gas levels and is the leading driver of climate change. This document, a Climate Action Plan (CAP) for Ulster County government operations, focuses on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions due to government operation. It also prioritizes actions which save tax payer dollars and meet multiple needs and objectives within County government.
U lster County government has made
substantial achievements in environ-
mental sustainability and climate action,
including operating a net carbon neutral
county government operation. However,
within Ulster County Government we believe
there is a role for this plan in both strength-
ening and focusing our efforts to achieve
measurable reductions in the energy use and
emissions associated with our operation.
In addition, this Climate Action Plan sets
a clear path forward to meeting the direc-
tives of the County Executive and County
Legislature to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions associated with operations by 25%
by 2025, purchasing 100% renewable energy
for government operations, and operating
a carbon neutral government operation. It
is important to note though that offsets are
not counted as actual reductions in emis-
sions, or as progress toward GHG reduction
goals. The GHG accounting in this inventory
report assumes the absence of all offsets.
BackgroundUlster County is a mid-sized New York county
with a population of 180,000 located in the
mid-Hudson Valley. The County enjoys a
diverse landscape with remarkable natural
features including over forty miles of Hudson
River shoreline, the Shawangunk Ridge,
and the Catskill Mountains. These natural
resources have significance far beyond the
borders of Ulster County. Ulster hosts two
City of New York water supply reservoirs
as well as significant acreage in both the
City of New York Water Supply Watershed
and the Catskill Park. Contained within
this 1,161 square miles are globally signif-
icant forest habitats in the Shawangunk
Ridge and the Catskill Forest, which are
home to numerous rare, threatened and
endangered species, hundreds of miles
of mountain streams, the Hudson River
Estuary, as well as regionally significant
agricultural and recreational resources.
Ulster County government employs approx-
imately 1,200 full-time staff and manages
an operating budget of approximately
$330 million. Ulster County is located in
the Cold Climate Zone as defined by the US
Department of Energy and in International
Energy Conservation Code (IECC) Climate
Zone 6. From 2012 to 2018, Ulster County
had an average of 5,699 heating degree
days (HDD) and 842 cooling degree days
(CDD) annually. Like other municipal
governments, Ulster County provides a
diverse range of services to the commu-
nity, including road and bridge mainte-
nance, social services, law enforcement,
Employee Transportation
SCOPE 2INDIRECT
Production of purchased
energy
SCOPE 1DIRECT
Fuelcombustion
from County owned
buildingsand vehicles
SCOPE 3DIRECT &INDIRECT
Production of purchased
materials and services
CO2 SF6 CH4 N2O HFCs PFCs
Ulster County, New York | 11
and public health services. The majority of
government functions are funded through
property tax and other tax dollars.
Plan FocusThis plan focuses directly on Ulster County
government operations in order to iden-
tify ways to reduce energy consumption,
increase renewable energy generation, and
offset any impacts of the remaining fossil
fuel combustion. This plan focuses solely
on reducing GHG emissions attributed to
Ulster County government operations. The
focus areas and actions contained within are
targeted primarily toward reducing Scope
1 (Direct) and Scope 2 (Indirect) emissions
(Figure 1). However, measures that quantify
and reduce Scope 3 emissions, such as
employee commutes, are also included.
The most immediate goal, as reiterated
in Executive Order 1 of 2019, is to reduce
GHG emission by 25% (of our baseline) by
2025. This CAP includes a list of actions
which will enable us to meet and exceed
this goal. Also included in this CAP is
some analysis of reductions necessary
to meet the 2050 goal of reducing GHG
associated with operations by 80%.
Figure 1. Operational Boundaries of GHG Emissions (World Resources Institute)
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Planning to both mitigate and adapt to the
impacts of climate change is critical;
actions to mitigate and adapt to the likely
impacts of climate change will be addressed
starting in 2020 through the Ulster County
Climate Change Adaptation & Resiliency
Planning Project, which will yield a climate
change vulnerability and resilience plan (see
Section VI for additional discussion). As
such, climate change adaptation strategies
and actions are not included in this plan.
Although the recommendations of this
plan are generally framed in terms of GHG
emissions reductions, there are multiple
benefits of implementing this plan to the
County, taxpayers and the greater public.
Plan FrameworkThis plan consists of four main components
(Figure 2). Each component represents
a distinct body of work or programmatic
element portions of which have already
been completed or are currently being
undertaken. Together these components
form a comprehensive summary of our
past actions, our strategy for moving
forward, as well as a list of projects
which will directly lead to a quantifi-
able reduction in GHG emissions.
The first component is the Environmental
Leadership & Ulster County Sustainability
Guide which documents our progress and
achievements. Ulster County has been
recognized for its innovative approach to
environmental action. This guide provides
information and documentation on both
how we have gone about this signifi-
cant body of work and what has been
accomplished. Certain actions that are
the most relevant to this CAP are high-
lighted in the body of this report. The
“Sustainability Guide” which includes a
comprehensive compendium of actions
is included as a link in Appendix D.
The second component of this Climate
Action Plan is the Ulster County Carbon
Neutral Operations Strategy. This
strategy serves as both a framework for
decision making as well as a guide for
net carbon neutral operations. It is based
in the principles of building science and
engineering yet provides an approachable,
understandable and consistent way to
approach climate action measures. This
section details the framework and provides
further information on how Ulster County
achieves net carbon neutral operations.
The emphasis of this plan on efficiency of use and conservation of energy for county government operations can reduce energy expenses and increase efficiency of operations, allowing money and staff time to be directed to other important efforts. It can also result in improved comfort for employees and improved local air quality which has public health benefits. In addition, Ulster County has been successful to date in leveraging utility programs, grant funds and other opportunities to implement energy conservation measures. This plan will further allow Ulster County to continue to take advantage of these unique opportunities as they become available.
IV Implementation
Roadmap
III Greenhouse Gas
(GHG) Inventory
IClimate Action
Leadership—Sustainability Guide
IICarbon Neutral
Government Operations Strategy
Ulster County, New York | 13
The third component is the Greenhouse Gas
Inventory. It is essential that any plan or
action includes a comprehensive analysis
of energy use by the County’s operations.
The County currently produces annual
reports on both building and fleet vehicle
energy use. These reports inform the GHG
Inventory which is the baseline for our
quantification of reduction and helps us
to better understand the energy intensive
and GHG intensive portions of our opera-
tion and evaluate GHG reduction actions.
The fourth and final component is the
detailed list of potential projects which
reduce energy use and increase the use
of renewable energy. This section, the
Implementation Roadmap, focuses on the
major sectors of energy use within County
government operations. The Carbon Neutral
Operations Strategy is applied as the frame-
work for identifying and prioritizing action.
Plan DevelopmentThis plan was developed in response
to Executive Order (EO) No. 2-2018
Regarding the County’s Use of Renewable
Energy which states the following:
It shall be the responsibility of the
Department of the Environment, in close
coordination with the Departments of
Purchasing, Planning and Public Works,
to develop and implement a Climate
Action Plan for county government
operations to further reduce the County’s
carbon footprint and to maximize its
use of sustainable and renewable
energy sources for its energy needs.
Ulster County Climate Action Plan Framework
Figure 2.
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14 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
The Department of the Environment
met with relevant County departments
to discuss opportunities for climate
action initiatives throughout 2018.
Since the scope of the plan is County
Government operations, the coordination
focused on the operational departments.
These departments included: Planning
Department, Purchasing Department,
Department of Public Works, Office of
the Ulster County Sheriff, Emergency
Management, Health and Mental Health
Department, Area Transit, Employment
and Training and Information Services.
The meetings with departments played
an important role in vetting poten-
tial actions items as well as providing
operational context, information
on capital planning initiatives, and
various related planning initiatives.
Public outreach and comment on this planThe plan was released for public comment
in the early spring of 2019. Since the plan
is focused on Ulster County government
operations, public review and participation in
this plan was completed through outreach
and discussion with two specific groups:
1) Ulster County Environmental
Management Council (UC EMC): the
EMC is composed of representatives from
municipal level conservation advisory
councils, environmental commissions and
environmental boards. The EMC also has
an equal number of at-large members
from Ulster County. The Ulster County
EMC’s mission is “to review and advise
the county and local governments on
present and proposed methods of using,
protecting and conserving the environ-
ment for the benefit of all the people.”
2) Climate Smart Committee: The Climate
Smart Committee is a volunteer task force
that promotes and supports climate action,
mitigation and adaptation in the commu-
nity. The Committee is designed to act as
an advisory board or steering committee
that advises and collaborates with the local
government to accomplish plans, programs,
and activities that are part of the Climate
Smart Communities certification program.
The task force consists of community
members and municipal representatives.
Both the UC EMC and the Ulster County
Climate Smart Committee serve as important
conduits to environmental action at the
municipal level in Ulster County. They are a
way of discussing best practices as well as
further interacting with local efforts in which
this plan can bolster and catalyze ongoing
local effort. Valuable comments were
received from both groups and changes were
incorporated into the final document.
Several public presentations about the draft
plan were made: one to the regional Climate
Action Planning Institute and one to a public
information forum at Lifebridge Sanctuary.
In addition, technical review comments
were also received from NYS DEC Office
of Climate Change staff, Hudson Valley
Regional Council Clean Energy Communities
staff, and Climate Action Associates.
Climate Action Leadership and Sustainability Guide
The Hudson Valley and the Catskills have
long been revered for their inspiring beauty
and natural resources and the area is often
considered the birthplace of the modern
environmental movement. Ulster County
in particular has a long-standing history of
environmental action and a deeply rooted
environmental ethos. It is not a surprise
that municipal and county governments
have also taken on this commitment to
environmental sustainability in earnest.
I
IV Implementation
Roadmap
III Greenhouse Gas
(GHG) Inventory
IClimate Action
Leadership—Sustainability Guide
IICarbon Neutral
Government Operations Strategy
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16 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
T he efforts of Ulster County Government
to reduce GHG emissions and operate
a carbon neutral government demon-
strate a comprehensive examination of
sustainability across our operation. The
implementation demonstrates remark-
able innovation in local government.
In 2008, the Ulster County Legislature
passed an Energy Policy pertaining to
county government operations. In 2010, a
comprehensive ASHRAE Level 3 energy
audit of County facilities was performed.
Then in 2012, a GHG Inventory of
government operations was completed. The
combination of these documents served as
an initial climate action plan for significant
energy efficiency and renewable energy
deployment at County facilities. Since
2008, the Department of the Environment
has been successful in securing over $2.8
million dollars in federal, state and utility
company sponsored program funding to
implement those projects and initiatives.
The Ulster County Sustainability GuideIn 2013, the Ulster County Department
of the Environment produced the Ulster
County Sustainability Guide. The guide
compiled a diverse set of policies, proce-
dures, local laws and legislative resolutions
addressing sustainability and environ-
mental actions. This guide was meant to
not only document the current initiatives
and resolutions but also to provide an easy
to use reference for other municipalities
as they evaluate their sustainability and
climate action initiatives. This guide has
been updated to include actions through
June of 2019 and is provided as a link in
Appendix D to this Climate Action Plan.
UC Department of the EnvironmentAnother critically important element of
climate action initiatives in Ulster County
is a thorough consideration of how to plan
for and implement environmental initiatives
Ulster County, New York | 17
in County government. When
the complex and intercon-
nected nature of environ-
mental issues like climate
change are considered, it’s
not a surprise that attempting
to manage and address envi-
ronmental issues at a County
level often requires the action
of multiple departments that
draw on many different types
of expertise. Local environ-
mental issues regularly cross
traditional County department
boundaries. From a County
government perspective,
the challenge then becomes:
how do we effectively and efficiently inte-
grate departments and individuals to
address complex environmental issues?
The Ulster County Department of the
Environment was created by Local Law
# 17 of 2007, and with its creation, Ulster
County embarked on an innovative way
to meet the challenges of our modern
environmental problems. The Department
is responsible for coordinating programs
and activities related to the environment
across various County departments
and agencies. The Department of the
Environment is responsible for working
with all the involved departments to
increase efficiency and efficacy of
projects with a variety of environmental
implications. Department of the Environment
responsibilities include supervising select
environmental compliance responsibilities,
providing a forum for various departments
to share information on environmental
projects, providing technical assistance
to departments, and helping departments
characterize and address existing enviro-
mental needs. This helps the County to
prevent duplication of services and ensures
the County is balancing stewardship with
financial accountability.
With this structural charge in mind, the
Department of the Environment has
historically been the convener for climate
action related initiatives as well as for
this Climate Action Plan. Executive Order
1–2016 directed the task of developing and
implementing “a long term plan to further
reduce the County’s carbon footprint and to
maximize its use of sustainable and renew-
able energy sources for its energy needs”
to the Department of the Environment.
The Ulster County Department of the Environment
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Current Climate Initiatives Following is an abbreviated list of actions
and initiatives which are directly perti-
nent to this climate action plan, its
development and its implementation.
Community and Government Operations Greenhouse Gas Reduction GoalsExecutive Order 1 of 2019 sets forth both
government operation and community
greenhouse reduction goals. The Ulster
County Legislature, through Resolution
315 of 2019, affirmed this committment
creating it as County policy. The stated
goal for government operation is that:
Ulster County shall endeavor to operate
a carbon neutral government and
furthermore decrease greenhouse gas
emissions associated with its operations
(through conservation, efficiency,
and on-site renewable generation) by
25% by 2025 and 80% by 2050 using
the County’s 2012 greenhouse gas
emission inventory as a baseline.
EO 1 of 2019 also states that:
Ulster County government shall
support ways to decrease energy use,
decrease greenhouse gas emissions
and increase the use of green power
across our community and set a
goal of decreasing community wide
greenhouse gas emissions by 40%
by 2030 and 80% by 2050 (below
1990 levels) using the regional GHG
emission inventory as a baseline.
NYS DEC Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Program —Certified Silver Since its inception, the New York State
Climate Smart Communities program
has served as a guide for Ulster County’s
climate action initiatives. The Ulster
County legislature passed Resolution
Number 184 on August 16, 2011, adopting
the Climate Smart Community pledge.
Ulster County has achieved Certified Silver
status in the CSC program, a notable accom-
plishment. As of the drafting of this report
there are 248 communities that have taken
the Climate Smart Communities Pledge. Of
those communities, only four have reached
Silver, the highest certification level within
the program. In addition to Ulster County,
the City of Kingston has also achieved Silver
certification status. Ulster County is the
first County to have achieved Silver status.
The County was awarded two grants through
the NYS DEC Climate Smart Communities Ulster County Executive, Pat Ryan, signing Executive Order 1 of 2019.
Ulster County, New York | 19
Grant Program. The first grant contract
was for $261,000 for improvements to the
UC Resource Recovery Agency organics
recycling program including imple-
menting a food waste diversion program
at the UC Law Enforcement Center. The
second grant agreement is funding the
Ulster County Climate Change Resilience
Planning effort which is underway.
The County continues to work towards
implementing more of the identified
actions in the CSC program and has used
that program in part to guide actions
identified and prioritized in the roadmap
section of this Climate Action Plan.
NYSERDA Clean Energy Community ProgramIn 2016, the NYS Energy Research and
Development Authority (NYSERDA) launched
a new program to encourage municipalities
in NYS to implement clean energy actions.
The program required the completion of at
least four “high impact” actions to qualify.
Ulster County was the first municipality in
New York State to complete the program
and received a $250,000 grant for energy
efficiency improvement as a result. The
Clean Energy Communities grant money
was dedicated to improving the energy effi-
ciency of the UC Law Enforcement Center,
the building with the single largest energy
consumption in the county’s portfolio.
100% Renewable PowerUlster County purchases 100% green power
through onsite generation and the purchase
of renewable energy certificates. The County
started purchasing renewable energy at the
100% level in 2014 and has done so every
year since. This has been at the direction of
the County Executive in a series of Executive
Orders and was recently adopted as Legisla-
tive policy. The most recent EO is found at
the beginning of this plan, the prior EOs and
new Legislative resolution are included in the
Sustainability Guide for reference.
The United States Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) named Ulster County as
one of the leaders in green power use and
environmental sustainability, recently ranking
the County as the 26th largest green power
user on their “Top 30 Local Government”
list, which represents the 30 largest green
power users among local governments
in the Nation. In addition, the County
was recognized as a 2015 Green Power
Purchasing leader by US EPA.
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Ulster County Carbon Neutral Government Operations Since 2015, Ulster County has purchased
carbon offsets on the voluntary market to
offset 100% of Scope 1 emissions as well as
employee commutes (which are considered
Scope 3 emissions) in addition to the Scope 2
emissions that are offset by the purchase of
Renewable Energy Credits (RECs). The direc-
tive to operate a carbon neutral government
is included in Executive Order 1 of 2019.
Large Scale Solar In 2018, construction was completed at
the closed former Town of Ulster landfill
of a 1.9 mW solar installation. Through a
power purchase agreement, Ulster County
government is the single off-taker of the
power produced by this installation and it
provides locally generated, renewable energy
for approximately 20% of the County’s total
electricity consumption. It will produce
approximately 2.36 million kwh a year of
electricity which is the electricity required
to power approximately 291 homes for
one year. The County worked closely with
Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency
as they own and maintain the closed
landfill property. The County recently
announced plans to pursue another large
scale solar installation to double the
County’s local generation. This brown-
field site is known as the Quarryville
site and is currently under design.
Green Fleet PolicyThe County developed a Sustainable Green
Fleet Policy, enacted as local law, which
requires: a comprehensive inventory of
vehicles, fuel monitoring (including total
fuel, average mpg, miles driven, vehicle
function, estimated emission per mile),
Ulster County Solar Landfill Project
Ulster County, New York | 21
right-sizing and strategic deployment
of more efficient and sustainable fuel
vehicles. It further requires that 5%
of the fleet will be Green Vehicles by
2020, and after 2020, 20% of new
passenger vehicle purchases will be
Green Vehicles. There is also required
employee education on ecodriving
techniques, and the policy stresses
fuel conservation, fuel efficiency and
the use of renewables.
As of September 2019, the County has
deployed 17 plug-in hybrid vehicles
and one all electric vehicle in the fleet.
In addition, the County is expecting
delivery of an additional three plug-in
hybrid vehicles in 2019. The County exceeded
the Green Fleet goal of 5% green vehicles
in 2018, two years ahead of schedule.
EV Charging Station Network Ulster County operates a network of 17
charging stations at County owned facili-
ties. These stations are powered by 100%
renewable energy and are available to
Ulster County fleet vehicles as well as
employees, residents and the general
public. This is an excellent example of
how a sustainability initiative can provide
local and regional benefits beyond those
to county government operations. In 2018,
the County hosted 3,967 electric vehicle
charging sessions of which 3,165 were
public (non-fleet) vehicles. These sessions
resulted in the avoided consumption of
1,129 gallons of gas. The use of electricity
by fleet vehicles reduced County Scope 1
greenhouse gas emissions by 2.1 metric tons.
Biodiesel UseStarting in 2015, Ulster County Area Transit
(UCAT) public transit buses have used a
5% biodiesel blend (B5) when operation-
ally feasible. In 2018, UCAT used the B5
blend in its diesel-fueled transit vehicles
approximately 54% of the time, reducing
GHG emissions (CO2e) by 35.9 metric tons.
Building BenchmarkingResolution No. 447 of 2016 established “a
policy to require annual public reporting
of building energy consumption and
benchmarking information for County
Owned buildings.” Ulster County uses
the EPA Portfolio Manager application
Electric Vehicle Charging Station at the County Office Building Complex
c l I M A T E A c T I O N l E A d E R S h I P A N d S u S T A I N A b I l I T y G u I d E
22 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
to benchmark its properties. The County
Department of the Environment gener-
ates an annual benchmarking report
which is made publicly available on the
Department of the Environment’s website.
Building Energy Efficiency MeasuresIn 2010, using NYSERDA and Federal
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block
Grant funding, Ulster County completed
ASHRAE Level 3 audits of the County
building portfolio, approximately one
million square feet of building space.
Since that time, the UC Department of
Public Works has been implementing
the recommendations of the audit. In
2015, the County embarked on a major
capital plan to complete a portion of the
HVAC, lighting and building envelope
improvements that were recommended
in the 2010 audit. Resolution # 316 of
2015 committed $2.5 million to complete
this work, which is still ongoing. Another
example of building efficiency measures
that have been implemented are extensive
interior and exterior LED lighting upgrades.
Ulster County has completed LED retro-
fits (over five thousand bulbs) at County
facilities. These improvements reduce the
County’s annual electricity demand by
approximately 2,000,000 kwh/year.
2000 2010 2020 2030
2016• NYSERDA Clean Energy Community (CEC)
Program: First CEC designated in NYS• Silver level CSC certification
20181.9MW solar project commissioned, provides 20% of electricity •
2005• UC Legislature
requires 10% of County energy come from wind
2004• UC Legislature
declared County “Energy Smart”
2011• DEC Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Pledge
2013• Completed first comprehensive GHG inventory
2014• 100% of power from renewable sources
2015• Carbon Neutral Operations• First publicly accessible electric vehicle
charging station in Ulster County
2010 • Comprehensive Energy Audits completed for all County facilities • First on-site solar installation
2020 • County Operations Resilience and
Adaptation Plan
2025 • Goal: 25% reduction
of GHG emissions from 2012 baseline
2017DEC Environmental Excellence Award for Carbon Neutral Operations •
2030 • Goal: 100%
of building electricity to come from locally generated renewable sources
2019Executive Order 1 0f 2019 Regarding Use of Renewable Energy •
Ulster County’s Climate Action Leadership Timeline
• 2008
Ulster County Energy Policy
adopted
• 2007
Department of the Environment
created
Carbon Neutral Government Operations Strategy
Ulster County has achieved a carbon neutral
government operation through the purchase of
carbon offsets in addition to generating renewable
energy and purchasing renewable energy credits
(RECs). Carbon offsets and RECs are one piece of
our overarching strategy in which we commit to
actual reductions in energy use and emissions to
meet our goals. Over time, our goal is to reduce
our energy demand, increase our use of locally
generated renewable electricity, and lessen our
reliance on carbon offsets and RECs.
II
IV Implementation
Roadmap
III Greenhouse Gas
(GHG) Inventory
IClimate Action
Leadership—Sustainability Guide
IICarbon Neutral
Government Operations Strategy
c A R b O N N E u T R A l G O V E R N M E N T O P E R A T I O N S S T R A T E G y
24 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
A lthough more municipalities are
sourcing their electricity from renew-
ables, which is a significant achievement,
purchasing renewable energy only offsets
the electricity generation. It does not offset
emissions associated with burning fuels
for building heating or vehicle operation.
The energy consumption and associated
emissions from those operations can be
significant. In 2018 Ulster County, electricity
consumption contributed only 16% to our
total emissions footprint; 84% of emissions
resulted from the use of other fossil fuels.
We are currently unaware of another New
York municipality that offsets their emissions
beyond those associated with electricity.
The results of the Carbon Neutral Operations
Strategy are unique and have been recognized
at the state and national level by the National
Association of Counties, US Environmental
Protection Agency, as well as the NYS
Department of Environmental Conservation.
By design, the backbone of the strategy is a
replicable method for examining energy use
and carbon emissions at a municipal or orga-
nizational level. It also provides a prescriptive
approach to reducing carbon emissions. The
intent is that that by explicitly including this
framework into decision making and commu-
nication, we not only ensure our best action,
but enhance the organizational understanding
of these concepts and their importance.
It is important to note that although
Ulster County achieves a carbon neutral
government operation through the purchase
of offsets, we are simultaneously committed
to achieving actual reductions in energy use
and emissions to meet our goals.
The strategy is intended as a hierarchy of
core principals, such as “don’t use more
energy than necessary,” and “use energy
efficiently if required.” Then, the strategy
moves to the use of renewable energy
(preferably as close to the demand source
as possible). As a last step, it moves to
using products such as Renewable Energy
Credits (RECs) and Carbon Credits to miti-
gate the remaining unavoidable emissions.
Throughout, use and progress must be
monitored and evaluated. It is an explicit
goal in the framework to reduce the need
for RECs and Carbon Credits over time. The
steps of avoid, conserve and generate are
also critically important because beyond
operating a carbon neutral government, it
also remains a goal that the County will
reduce emissions through conservation,
efficiency, and local renewable generation.
Monitor all energy use in order to identify energy savings opportunities, benchmark performance and monitor/verify any actions taken.ASSESS
Through operational and programatic management, avoid unnecessary use of vehicles, equipment, buildings and space. Improve facilities to limit amount of energy necessary (e.g. envelope improvements, daylight).AVOId
Use technology (e.g. electric vehicles, LED lighting, HVAC) to make energy use more efficient.cONSERVE
Utilize local, renewable energy sources (e.g. PV electricity generation, solar thermal, biofuels) to meet operational needs.GENERATE
Measure emissions and offset remaining Scope 1 and 2 emissions with RECs and Carbon Credits.OFFSET
Ulster County, New York | 25
This strategy is the articulation of funda-
mental concepts. This type of framework
is not at all unfamiliar to building science
professionals or to engineers. The elements
in the strategy denote a basic progression
which is essential in making sound decisions.
However, in an often-complicated decision
making environment, the County has chosen
to make it explicit rather than an implicit
framework in order to 1) underscore the
importance of reducing energy use 2) demon-
strate that any decision has been made within
this greater context 3) keep focus on the oper-
ational tasks required to reduce the use of
offsets to achieve carbon neutral operations.
Assess The backbone of any effort to reduce energy
use or operate a carbon neutral operation is
to actively monitor all energy use. The Ulster
County Department of the Environment,
along with the Department of Public Works,
tracks and monitors the County’s energy
use and emissions including buildings
and all vehicles. The resulting reports are
summarized in Section III as the Ulster
County Greenhouse Gas Inventory.
These assessment data are critical in that
they help provide necessary information for
energy audits. These data are also used by
Ulster County to monitor the performance
of energy efficiency improvement measures.
The accounting is also required to quantify
any renewable generation, as well as the
offsets necessary to achieve zero carbon
emissions. Data downloads and tracking can
be automated through working with vendors
or utility providers in certain situations.
The Ulster County Carbon Neutral Government Strategy
Figure 3. The Five Elements of the Strategy
Energy Consumption(Assess, Avoid, Conserve)
EN
ER
GY
U
SE
T I M E
c A R b O N N E u T R A l G O V E R N M E N T O P E R A T I O N S S T R A T E G y
26 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
Some of the additional benefits of
assessment and monitoring include:
• Providing an audit function helping to
uncover billing errors or inappropriate use;
• Showing spikes in usage related to
malfunctioning or improper use of
equipment;
• Providing the necessary baseline for
energy audits and equipment studies;
• Providing the necessary baseline for GHG
emission reduction efforts; and,
• Helping quantify longer term cost/benefit
of potential energy savings measures.
Avoid It is often said the most efficient use of
energy is to not use it at all. Although
this sounds simplistic, it is a critical first
step and one that must be addressed.
The following examples describe ways the
County can avoid energy use in accordance
with this strategy:
• Consolidating operations to reduce the
number of square feet necessary to
conduct County business;
• Improving building envelopes to reduce
the heating and cooling loads;
• Using building scheduling to ensure
HVAC and lighting systems are not used
when the building is unoccupied
(e.g. temperature setbacks);
• Employing lighting sensors to shut off
lights when not in use; and,
• Employing route-building software to
help employees best consolidate and plan
vehicle trips.
The benefits of “avoiding” expand to
include the consolidation of operations
which can reduce the cost of operation and
maintenance. Reducing the energy demand
of buildings often reduces the size and
cost of any equipment (energy efficient or
renewable) to be used. This can provide
direct and indirect financial and energy
saving benefits. Additionally, it can have
ancillary benefits like added daylight and
more airtight buildings which improve worker
comfort and employee satisfaction.
The information on energy consumption
and emissions has been used to support
decisions regarding the County building
stock and operations along with a facili-
ties study which was conducted to deter-
mine which spaces were not being used
efficiently. The County Legislature has
supported efforts to reduce energy use
by passing an energy policy as well as a
requirement that new or renovated facili-
ties meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s
Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEEDTM) Silver standards.
Case Study: F L AT B U S H A N N E X
The former City of Kingston Alms House located off of Flatbush Avenue was constructed between 1872 and 1874. Ulster County purchased and occupied the building starting in 1954. In 2014, the County began to consolidate operations, notably relocating the Health and Purchasing Departments from Flatbush Annex to office spaces in existing properties, reducing the need to maintain full-time operations at the property. The County completed the sale of the building in 2018. This consolidation of government operations has reduced County GHG emissions by approximately 125 metric tons per year—a 2.7% reduction from the 2012 baseline for the Buildings and Other Facilities sector. Additionally, the consolidation saves County taxpayers at least $60,000/year in avoided utility costs.
Ulster County, New York | 27
To further reduce energy use, County
employees are trained and reminded to
practice sustainable behavior, and are
growing more conscious of daily habits-
like turning off lights, computers and
other equipment when not in use—which
can yield substantial energy savings. In
addition, the County created an employee
guide on sustainable driving behavior
which includes a portion on anti-idling and
route optimization. County employees are
given financial incentives for taking public
transit, and are encouraged to ride-share,
bike or walk to work whenever possible.
ConserveWhere energy use must take place, the next
step is to evaluate whether energy efficient
technologies or opportunities are being prop-
erly utilized to reduce energy consumption.
Examples of energy efficiency include:
• Replacing fluorescent lighting with
LED lamps
• Choose high efficiency HVAC equipment
when making routine replacements
In 2010, a detailed investment grade energy
audit of the County facilities was conducted.
Since that time, the results have been
continuously used to help determine ener-
gy-saving strategies. In addition, the County
is currently in the process of producing
“heating and cooling master plans” for both
the UC Law Enforcement Center and the
County Office Building, two of the larger
energy users. These plans will provide
a detailed path forward to decrease the
energy consumption and increase reliance
on renewable energy at these locations.
In addition, since 2014, the County has
replaced light fixtures with LED lights at
16 facilities, with estimated savings of over
2 million kilowatt-hours per year of energy
use—a yearly savings to Ulster County
taxpayers of approximately $225,000.
The County continues to manage the fleet
inventory to right-size vehicle purchases,
use appropriate alternative and sustainable
energy vehicles and reduce overall fuel
consumption. All sedans purchased in 2019
will be hybrid plug-in electric vehicles. To
support fleet operations, the County has
installed 17 plug-in electric vehicle charging
stations (a total of 34 plugs) throughout
Renewable Generation(Generate)
EN
ER
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U
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T I M E
Energy Consumption(Assess, Avoid, Conserve)
c A R b O N N E u T R A l G O V E R N M E N T O P E R A T I O N S S T R A T E G y
28 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
the County. To date, this network has been
available to employees and the public free
of charge. Between when the first stations
became operational in 2015 and the end
of 2018, these stations have dispensed a
total of 67 MWh of renewable electricity,
avoiding approximately 17.5 metric tons
of CO2e emissions.
GenerateWhile reducing energy demand to the lowest
level feasible, the County intends to maxi-
mize the percentage of remaining energy
use that comes from renewable sources.
Renewable generation can significantly
reduce emissions by reducing the need to
purchase energy from fossil fuel derived
sources. Increased local renewable gener-
ation also directly impacts the local electric
grid through distributed generation, strength-
ening the local economy and workforce, and
increasing resilience to fluctuations in energy
markets. Generating renewable energy on
site is the priority where possible. When not
possible, purchasing renewable power from
local sources is preferred and considered
local generation for the purposes of this plan.
However, Ulster County does not consider
the purchase of RECs to be generation.
The Generate element includes energy from
these sources:
• On-site generation of electricity (e.g. solar
pv, wind or hydro behind the meter);
• Purchasing electricity from local Com-
munity Distributed Generation (CDG) sites;
• Purchasing electricity via a locally
generated, third party (power purchase)
ownership arrangement;
• Remote net metering from a County owned
or County controlled site;
• On-site combustion of solid biomass, or
biomass derived fuels; and,
• Mobile combustion of biomass derived fuels.
Currently, the County uses renewable energy
from the following sources.
On-site solar PV In 2010, the County
installed its first PV solar array at the
Ulster County Salt Storage Facility in New
Paltz. To date this installation has gener-
ated in excess of 270,000 kWh. In 2018,
a 1.9 mW solar installation, through a
power purchase agreement, came online
at the closed Town of Ulster Landfill. This
solar array generates enough renewable
power each year to supply approximately
20% of the County’s electricity needs.
Renewable biomass from biofuels
The County transit fleet uses a commercially-
available biofuel blend whenever feasible.
1,400
1,300
1,200
1,100
1,000
900
800
700
200
5
200
6
200
7
200
8
200
9
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
2028
2029
2030
Lbs
CO
2 pe
r M
Wh
Historic Projected with former Clean Power Plan
Carbon Intensity of US Electric Sector Generation 2005—2030
Ulster County, New York | 29
beneficial Electrification
1 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1040619016301075?via%3Dihub
Beneficial electrification is a term for substituting electricity for fossil fuel combustion in energy end-use applications. Since it is more feasible to use renewable energy sources to produce electricity, converting trans-portation for example to renewably produced electricity power is seen as an effective way to move beyond fossil fuels and decrease carbon emissions.
Emissions efficiency, which is defined as “service units provided per metric ton CO2e emissions created,” is the most effective measure for Climate Action Plan conservation activities, as it compares the true climate cost of various technologies and energy sources with a common ratio. For buildings, the emissions metric is Btus of heat provided per MT CO2E or CO2e emitted by the heating system. For vehicles, the metric is miles traveled per MT CO2e emitted.
In most cases, electrification of services increases emissions efficiency. This is due to two trends:
Lowering GHG emissions rates in the power sector: State mandates such as the New York Clean Energy Standard (70% renewable by 2030) ensure that the proportion of zero emissions power in the utility provided mix will continue to increase. This trend allows electrified capital equipment which is purchased today to become more emissions efficient over its lifetime, which is not possible for conventional fossil fuel burning equipment.
Figure 4. Carbon Intensity Trend 1
Increased efficiency of electric end use equipment: Heat pumps and electric vehicles are more efficient at using energy to meet end-use needs. As technology improves, they will be able to provide services across a wider range of operating conditions.
At recent average County energy rates, replacing fossil fuel heating with heat pump technology would have the following impacts:
ASSUMPTIONS: average electric coefficient of performance COP of 3.0, natural gas combustion efficiency 94%, Fuel oil combustion efficiency 83%, propane combustion efficiency 87%
Implications and Barriers for Implementation:
• The County should expect electricity usage to increase over time in order to meet GHG reduction goals.
• Electric technology is currently feasible for small scale substitution (i.e. passenger vehicles, residential air source heat pumps) but is more difficult and costly to apply to larger applications such as commercial office buildings or snow plowing trucks.
• Electric HVAC systems have higher capital costs, but equipment will yield emission savings over lifetime.
• Electrification will increase loads on electric grid infrastructure.
Fuel Replaced Emissions Change Cost Change
Electrify Natural Gas 77% decrease 3% increaseElectrify Fuel Oil 85% decrease 38% decreaseElectrify Propane 82% decrease 33% decrease
Portion offset by REC and carbon credits(Offset)
Renewable Generation(Generate)
Energy Consumption
EN
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U
SE
T I M E
c A R b O N N E u T R A l G O V E R N M E N T O P E R A T I O N S S T R A T E G y
30 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
Through the implementation of the Generate
actions in this plan, the County will increase
its capacity to generate energy onsite to
supply its needs, and increase its usage
of local renewable sources of energy.
OffsetSince renewable energy cannot be gener-
ated on site or locally for all government
operations, renewable energy credits
(RECs) and carbon credit offsets must be
purchased to ensure carbon neutrality.
• Renewable Energy Credits (RECs):
The County purchases certified renewable
energy credits certified by the firm Green-e
Energy to offset 100% of its grid supplied
electricity use. Generally, these credits
take the form of the renewable attributes
created by wind power generation in the
Midwest US. These credits offset only
indirect (Scope 2) emissions.
• Carbon Credits: A large portion of County
emissions are generated through direct
(Scope 1) energy sources—specifically
mobile combustion for the operation of
fleet vehicles and stationary combustion
for building heating. For these Scope 1
sources, the County purchases carbon
credits to offset emissions. These offsets
are verified by a third-party certification
firm which reviews the projects to ensure
they meet standards such as additionality.
Offsets, as the final element of the County
Carbon Neutral Operations strategy, are
less preferable means of carbon neutrality.
The technology currently does not exist to
accomplish the diverse array of services
that the County must provide under the
banner of one of the previous elements.
For example, there is not a commercially
available electric snow plow truck on the
market today (nor a biodiesel product that
functions in extreme cold temperatures).
However, the intent of this Climate Action
Plan is to continue to reduce the quantity
of offsets that the County must purchase
each year to maintain carbon neutrality.
The REc and carbon credit Market: What are they? How does one municipal purchaser help make a difference?
Organizations working to lower their emissions footprint have a variety of mitigation options at their disposal, including activities to reduce their direct emissions, activities to reduce indirect emissions like energy effi-ciency measures and switching to green power, and paying for external reductions. Knowing the differences between instruments like RECs and offsets is the first step to understanding their value.
• Measured in megawatt hours (MWh)
• Convey use of renewable electricity generation; underlie renewable electricity use claims; and support renewable electricity development
• Can lower an organization’s scope 2 emissions from purchased electricity
• Can claim to use renewable electricity from a low or zero emissions source
• Additionality tests not required.
• Measured in metric tons of CO2 or CO2 equivalent
• Represent GHG emissions reductions; provide support for emissions reduction activities
• Reduce or “offset” an organization’s scope 1 or 3 emissions, as a net adjustment
• Can claim to have reduced or avoided GHG emissions outside their organization’s operations
• Additionality Test Required. Each project must ensure that it is beyond business as usual. Tests include legal/regulatory, financial, barriers, common practice and performance tests.
Ulster County, New York | 31
COMMON TECHNOLOGIES
SOLAR WIND SMALL HYDRO BIOMASS
COMMON TECHNOLOGIES
LIVESTOCK BIOGAS
LANDFILL GAS INDUSTRIAL GAS
SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY
Both offsets and RECs represent the environmental benefits of certain actions that can help mitigate GHG emissions. Offsets and RECs, however, are fundamentally different instruments with different impacts, repre-senting different criteria for qualification and crediting in the context of inventory or emissions footprint.
Over time, the money spent to buy either carbon offsets or RECs is an important finance stream to many of these types of technologies and projects. The development of the carbon credit and offset markets have been critical in helping to expand and accelerate the steep decline in the cost of renewable energy and other carbon capturing technologies. Even small municipal purchases can collectively help to provide the revenue sources necessary to deploy this technology.
Adapted from US EPA Green Power Partnership. Offsets and RECs: What’s the Difference
RECsR E N E WA b l E E N E R G y c E R T I F I c AT E S
CARBON OFFSETS
Table 1. Carbon Offsets and Social Cost of Carbon 2017–2018
Reporting year carbon Offsets Retired (MT cO2e)
REcs Retired (MWh)
Actual cost of Offsets (% of annual utility budget)
Social cost of carbon (% of annual utility budget)
Social cost of carbon
2018 7,775 10,892 0.5% 14.4% $447,526
2017 7,338 11,914 0.4% 15.0% $412,094
Notes:
• Table includes offsets for 100% of Scope 1 and 2 emissions only. • Social Cost of Carbon values taken from the EPA’s Technical Update of the Social Cost of Carbon for Regulatory
Impact Analysis Under Executive Order 12866 (May 2013, Revised July 2016)
c A R b O N N E u T R A l G O V E R N M E N T O P E R A T I O N S S T R A T E G y
32 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
Future Action The overall intent of the combined elements
of the Carbon Neutral Operations Strategy,
as depicted in the figures above is that,
over time, the County’s overall energy
consumption will decrease (through Avoid
and Conserve measures), the percentage
of renewable energy will increase (through
Generate measures), and the need to
purchase RECs or Carbon Credits (Offset
measures) will decrease while the County
continues to operate a carbon neutral
government. Over the life of this plan,
the County will continue to improve the
ability to track progress (through Assess
measures) and ultimately mitigate emis-
sions and increase operational reliance
on locally produced renewable energy.
The cost of carbon credits, purchased to
offset emissions does not represent what
is known as the social cost of carbon. This
value is the greater cost of carbon emissions
to society and to the environment. As such,
we believe it is important to continue to
invest in reducing the carbon emission of
our activities through this carbon neutral
operations strategy. Quantifying the current
costs of the Carbon Neutral Operations
Strategy versus the true social cost of
carbon is an important metric for examining
how much we should be investing in green
technology and applications.
It is important for the County to consider
ways to actively research local carbon
offset activities. This includes how the
County manages forests, open fields, vacant
parcels, or even right-of-way. There may
be substantial opportunity to consider
ways to further offset carbon emissions
and promote sequestration of carbon
through land management practices.
The Carbon Neutral Government Operations
Strategy is used as the framework for
planning and decision making. All actions
in Section V of this plan, the implemen-
tation roadmap, are categorized and
presented in terms of this strategy.
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory for Local Government OperationsAn accurate greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory is
a critical component of a climate action plan.
The inventory process sets a baseline year of
GHG emissions using a scope and methodology
that can be replicated in following years. This
consistency in accounting allows the organization
to measure and verify the effectiveness of GHG
emissions reduction measures through time—with
confidence that changes seen in emission levels
are the result of government actions and are
not due to changes in reporting methodology or
organizational boundaries.
III
IV Implementation
Roadmap
III Greenhouse Gas
(GHG) Inventory
IClimate Action
Leadership—Sustainability Guide
IICarbon Neutral
Government Operations Strategy
G R E E N h O u S E G A S ( G h G ) I N V E N T O R y F O R l O c A l G O V E R N M E N T O P E R A T I O N S
34 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
F or Ulster County, the annual Greenhouse
Gas (GHG) Inventory is a necessary
tool for determining the quantity of offsets
required each year to achieve net carbon
neutral operations. These offsets are not
counted as actual reductions in emissions
or as progress toward GHG reduction goals.
The GHG accounting in this inventory report
assumes the absence of all offsets.
It is important to note that greenhouse
gas inventories can differ substantially in
scope and methods. They vary because of
differences in the type of organization that
is undergoing an inventory (e.g. a small
municipality versus a state), they can vary
due to the type of data that is available for
conducting the inventory, and they can vary
due to the goals of the inventory. However,
in order for the inventory to be used for long
term comparison and evaluation, the analysis
methods must be consistent across time.
Data collection processes play an important
role in achieving this consistency. The Ulster
County Department of the Environment has
improved its data collection methods through
the preparation of two annual reports: the
Green Fleet Policy Report and the Building
Benchmarking Report. Both of these reports
are mandated by legislative policy and
provide the energy use information for annual
updates to the County’s GHG Inventory. The
most recent versions of these reports can be
viewed at the weblink provided in Appendix D.
Table 2. Distinction between GHG measures as applied toward reduction goals
Mitigation Type Measure
Actual Reduction (counts toward operational goals) Onsite generation (behind the meter) Local* Remote Net Metering Local Community Distributed Generation (CDG)
Offset (counts toward carbon neutral government initiative only)
Renewable energy credits (RECS), national origin Carbon credits, national origin
* Local is defined as generation physically within the same NY ISO load zone and utility territory as the utility meter being serviced by the load.
Ulster County, New York | 35
Progress towards GoalsIn 2018, Ulster County government operations emitted 9,238 metric tons of CO2e.1
This is the equivalent to:
1,104
homes’ energy use for one year
50.3
railcars’ worth of coal burned
22,550,122
miles driven by an average
passenger vehicle
Between the baseline year of 2012 and the most recent GHG inventory for 2018,
Ulster County’s actual emissions from government operations decreased by 2.4%.
Table 3. 2017–2018 Net Government Operations Carbon Emissions (MT CO2e) compared to Baseline
category 2012 2017 2018
Total Government Activity Emissions 9,464 8,938 9,360
Local Generation (RNEM, CDG) 0 0 -122
Actual Government Emissions 9,464 8,938 9,238
Voluntary RECs 0 -1,600 -1,463
Carbon Credits 0 -7,338 -7,775
Net Government Operations Carbon Emissions 9,464 0 0
Figure 5.
1 Calculator available here: https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator
10,000
9,000
8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
2012 2017 2018
Em
issi
ons
(met
ric
tons
CO
2e)
2017–2018 Emissions Comparison to 2012 Baseline
9,4648,938
9,238
5.6%decrease
2.4%decreaseBaseline
G R E E N h O u S E G A S ( G h G ) I N V E N T O R y F O R l O c A l G O V E R N M E N T O P E R A T I O N S
36 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
The GHG emissions level each year is a function of numerous factors. Some factors are
related to the quantity of services provided by the government and others are outside the
control of the government, yet can impact the annual GHG emission levels significantly. The
following external factors have contributed to the changes seen in emissions across sectors:
Table 4. External factors 2012 to 2018
Sector change in cO2e emissions 2012–2018
External Factors Influencing Sector changes 2012–2018
Buildings and Other Facilities
–9.6% • The electricity emissions factor decreased by 28% • The combined number of heating degree days and cooling
degree days increased by 16%
Transit Fleet –5.5% • Added routes • Increase in number of gasoline vehicles in fleet
Vehicle Fleet +9.9% • The number of winter storm events increased by 100% • Flooding events increased by 50% • Wind events increased by 140% • Annual usage data dependent on fuel tank
delivery schedules
Water Delivery +30.7% • Annual usage data dependent on fuel tank delivery schedules
Streetlights and Traffic Signals
–20.9% • The electricity emissions factor decreased by 28%
10,000
9,000
8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
–1,000
Total Government Emissions Local Generation RECs Carbon Credits
Em
issi
ons
(met
ric
tons
CO
2e)
2018 Net Zero Emissions
Figure 6. Activities yielding net zero emissions
Ulster County, New York | 37
Figure 7.
Figure 8.
2012 2018
Em
issi
ons
(met
ric
tons
CO
2e)
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
4,000
4,500
5,000
Buildings and Other Facilities
Vehicle Fleet Transit Fleet Water Delivery Streetlights andTraffic Signals
2012
9.6%decrease
9.9%increase
30.7%increase
20.9%decrease5.5%
decrease
4,649
3,131
1,670
10 5
4,201
3,441
1,579
13 4
Emissions Trends by Sector
Emissions Trends by Energy Type 2012 and 2018
Diesel Fuel Gasoline Natural GasElectricity-Grid Supplied
Heating Oil Propane
2012 2018
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
Em
issi
ons
(met
ric
tons
CO
2e)
241
1,035
1,479
2,123
1,463
2,876
161
659
1,5531,615
2,290
3184
9.7%decrease
36.1%decrease
31.5%increase 4.7%
decrease
57.0%increase
49.5%increase
Emissions Trends by Energy Type
G R E E N h O u S E G A S ( G h G ) I N V E N T O R y F O R l O c A l G O V E R N M E N T O P E R A T I O N S
38 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
0.1
0.1
0.4
0.7
1.4
1.7
2
2.3
2.8
2.8
3.1
3.3
3.3
3.5
3.7
3.7
3.7
3.7
4
4.4
4.5
4.5
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.7
4.8
5.1
5.4
5.7
5.9
6
6.2
6.6
6.7
6.9
6.9
7.5
8.1
8.2
13.5
0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0 14.0 16.0
Hutton Building
Persen House
Highway Substation – New Paltz
Old Ulster County Jail
Flatbush Annex Complex – Closed
Sojourner Truth Ulster Landing Park
Highway Substation – Boiceville
Highway Substation – Accord
Old Jail Storage Garage
Department of the Environment
Veterans Transitional Housing Facility
Golden Hill Office Building
Ulster County Office Complex
Coordinated Children’s Services – Highland
Highway Substation – Shawangunk
Highway Substation – Saugerties
Ulster County Pool
Van Dale Garage – Fabrication Shop
Highway Substation – Shandaken
Family & Child Advocacy Center
Probation Campus
Ulster County Office Building
UCAT
Community Corrections
Ulster County Courthouse
Family Court at Lucas Avenue – Closed
Heritage Center for Tourism
Public Works Building
Ulster County Records Center
Sheriff's Substation – Warwarsing
Kingston Center (SUNY Ulster)
Highway Substation – Sundown
Heavy Vehicle Maintenance
Trudy Resnick Farber
Ulster County Law Enforcement Center
Highway Substation – Ulster Heights
Highway Substation – Plattekill
Central Auto Garage
Carr Building
Information Services
Emergency Management
Emissions Intensity (kg CO2e/sq. ft.)
2018 Building GHG Emissions Intensity (kg CO2e/sq. ft.)
Figure 9.
Implementation Roadmap
The final component of this Climate Action Plan
for Government Operations is a comprehensive
list of actions which could be taken to reduce
GHG emissions due to our operations. This list
was compiled after discussion with County
staff and departments, reexamination of the
2010 comprehensive energy audits for Ulster
County facilities, a review of current projects and
initiatives, an examination of the Certification
Manual for the NYS DEC Climate Smart
Communities program as well as a review of
other municipal climate action plans.
IV
Table 5. Emissions Reduction Targets
GhG Emissions (MT cO2e) GhG Emissions % change from 2012 baseline
2012 baseline 9,464 —
2017 8,938 5.6% reduction
2018 9,238 2.4% reduction
2025 goal 7,098 25% reduction
2050 goal 1,893 80% reduction
IV Implementation
Roadmap
III Greenhouse Gas
(GHG) Inventory
IClimate Action
Leadership—Sustainability Guide
IICarbon Neutral
Government Operations Strategy
I M P l E M E N T A T I O N R O A d M A P
40 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
T he roadmap is divided into the three
primary sectors of activity identified
in the GHG Inventory: buildings & other
facilities, vehicle fleet, and the transit
fleet. Two additional implementation areas
were added to address actions that affect
multiple GHG inventory reporting sectors.
Consistent with the Ulster County Carbon
Neutral Operations Strategy, the action
items for each focus area are prioritized
to ensure that efforts to reduce consump-
tion are identified and implemented first.
GHG Emissions Operational GoalsFor each primary reporting sector, this
plan sets targets for reduction based on
the 2018 GHG inventory update (oper-
ating period 2019–2025). By achieving
these near-term targets, the County
will achieve its 25% reduction in GHG
emission by 2025 goal. The table below
shows the target for each sector as
well as the overall emissions reduc-
tion targeted in each sector by 2025.
10,000
9,000
8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
Em
issi
ons
(met
ric
tons
CO
2e)
2012 2018 2025 Goal
2025 GOAL: 25% reductionfrom 2012 baseline
7,098 MT COe2
Vehicle Fleet20% reduction from 2018 level
Transit Fleet25% reduction from 2018 level
Buidlings and Other Facilities25% reduction from 2018 level
Ulster County Climate Action Plan Goals
Figure 10. Climate Action Plan Goals by Sector
Ulster County, New York | 41
Initiative timeframeEach action is identified for completion by
2025 by assigning a timeframe based on
these terms:
Short: 1–2 years (2019–2020)
Medium: 3–5 years (2021–2023)
Long: 6–7 years (2024–2025)
Cost Estimates
Each action item has been assigned a
subjective cost estimate by Department
of the Environment staff. The cost esti-
mate incorporates monetary cost as
well as County staff time and resources
required to complete the action. These
estimates may change as available
grant and incentive programs evolve.
Low: Able to complete with existing
budget or budget amendment. Able to be
completed within normal staff operations.
Medium: May require use of capital
funding. May require external personnel
resources through contract.
High: Requires capital funding. Requires
additional staff or contracted personnel.
Audit buildings to identify opportunities for GHG reductions. Benchmark building performance for continued monitoring and verification.ASSESS
Ensure buildings are heated, cooled and lit only when needed. Improve building envelopes and right-size HVAC equipment. AVOId
Improve efficiency of HVAC and electrical systems. cONSERVE
Utilize locally generated renewable electricity to meet energy needs. GENERATE
Measure emissions and offset remaining Scope 1 and 2 emissions with RECs and Carbon Credits.OFFSET
I M P l E M E N T A T I O N R O A d M A P
42 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
Focus Area #1: Buildings & Other Facilities
Focus Area Goal: By 2025, reduce sector emissions by an additional 25% (1,059.9 MT CO2e)
from 2017 levels. This reduction will yield an overall 16.4% reduction from the 2012 baseline.
The GHG emissions from the Buildings and Other Facilities sector has decreased by 9.6%
since 2012. This reduction illustrates the effects of the the County’s systematic program of
implementing energy-use reduction measures since the County’s 2010 building energy audit.
To achieve additional reductions, the County must convert all electricity use to locally
generated sources and work to electrify remaining fossil fuel heating applications through
HVAC equipment upgrades. This process is dependent on the remaining useful life of
equipment and capital planning limitations.
Figure 11. Buildings and Other Facilities GHG Reduction Strategy
Ulster County, New York | 43
ACTION BF-14 Conduct rooftop solar assessment. ACTION S3-4 Improve bicycle infrastructure at County properties.
I M P l E M E N T A T I O N R O A d M A P
44 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
Table 6. Buildings and Other Facilities Action Items
Action Number
Action Strategic Priority
Impact cost Timeframe
BF-1 Conduct additional building energy audits Assess Low Medium Medium
BF-2 Implement lighting controls in County owned buildings Avoid Medium Medium Medium
BF-3 Reduce and upgrade outdoor lighting Avoid Low Low Medium
BF-4 Update building automation systems & HVAC scheduling procedures
Avoid Medium Low Short
BF-5 Assess feasibility of district heating system using County owned properties
Conserve Low High Long
BF-6 Complete interior lighting upgrades for 100% of building area
Conserve High Medium Short
BF-7 Green the lifecycle of office equipment Conserve Medium Low Short
BF-8 Install biomass heating systems at Highway Department Substations
Conserve Medium Medium Medium
BF-9 Install geothermal heating and cooling system(s) Conserve Medium Medium Short
BF-10 Retrocommission low performing buildings Conserve Medium Medium Medium
BF-11 Upgrade HVAC equipment Conserve Medium High Medium
BF-12 Assess small wind turbine system(s) for County-owned properties
Generate Low Medium Long
BF-13 Complete renewable energy feasibility studies Generate Low Medium Medium
BF-14 Conduct a rooftop solar assessment Generate Low Low Medium
BF-15 Evaluate brownfields for solar PV development through coordination with the EPA
Generate Medium Low Medium
BF-16 Evaluate in-stream energy recovery system(s) for the Golden Hill water system
Generate Low Medium Long
BF-17 Install additional solar PV system(s) using a third-party ownership model
Generate High Low Medium
BF-18 Install battery storage technology on County property Generate Medium Medium Short
BF-19 Offset Scope 1 and 2 emissions from buildings and facilities
Offset High Low Short
b u I l d I N G S A N d O T h E R F A c I l I T I E S
Ulster County, New York | 45
ACTION BF-1
Conduct additional building
energy audits
An ASHRAE Level 3 energy audit of 27
buildings was completed in 2010. Many of the
facility improvement measures identified by
the audit have been implemented or planned
through a series of HVAC/Weatherization
capital projects, CP #s 394 through 402.
These improvements are ongoing.
The County aims to conduct an updated
comprehensive energy audit during the life
of this plan. At a minimum, the County will
complete an ASHRAE level 2 energy audit
for greater than 75% of its buildings
(by floor area.)
This audit will verify improvements since
the 2010 audit and identify new energy
conservation opportunities. The County
will pursue cost-share funding through the
NYSERDA FlexTech program to implement
these audits.”
ACTION BF-2
Implement lighting controls in
County owned buildings
The County will audit its properties to
identify opportunities in existing buildings
to save electricity with the installation
of lighting sensors and controls. These
controls may include the following types:
occupant sensing, time-switching, or
daylight-responsive. Properties with building
management systems will be audited and
updated to ensure that lighting is used only
when necessary. Lighting systems will be
updated to meet or exceed the International
Energy Conservation Code section C405
when possible.
ACTION BF-3
Reduce and upgrade outdoor lighting
The County will develop and execute a
strategy to reduce the number of outdoor
lighting fixtures or reduce the time in which
the fixtures are in use. The County will
conduct a comprehensive inventory of all
outdoor lighting that covers street and area
lighting (including those owned by the local
utility), traffic signals, and off-street light
fixtures (in parking lots and public parks, for
example). During this process, the County
will upgrade all remaining outdoor lights to
LED fixtures.
ACTION BF-4
Update building automation systems
& HVAC scheduling procedures
The County will update and institute a
procedure for the operation of existing
building automation systems (BAS) and
programmable thermostats. The County will
audit existing systems to meet procedural
standards for setbacks, zone occupancy
periods and lighting. Any system errors
or malfunctions will be corrected through
operating improvements. The County will
evaluate needs for additional BAS where
needed. Training on BAS operation will
be solicited and conducted. For buildings
where a BAS is not needed, programmable
thermostats with WIFI capability (where
able) will be installed.
I M P l E M E N T A T I O N R O A d M A P
46 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
ACTION BF-5
Assess feasibility of district heating
system using County owned
properties
The County will consider campuses of
properties where a district heating system
may be feasible and will integrate a feasi-
bility study into any capital planning for
HVAC upgrades at the potential sites.
ACTION BF-6
Complete interior lighting upgrades
for 100% of building area
As of 2019, Ulster County has completed LED
retrofits at most County properties. However,
a few major properties are remaining for
retrofit: the UC Office Complex DSS portion
and the SUNY Ulster Kingston Center
campus. Through this action, the County will
target 100% of building area for LED lighting.
ACTION BF-7
Green the lifecycle of
office equipment
Ulster County will participate as a partner in
the State Electronics Challenge, a program
administered by the Northeast Recycling
Council, Inc. focused on environmental
stewardship of office equipment. The
County will use the program as paradigm
to implement policies and procedures for
energy efficiency in office equipment. The
Department of the Environment will work
with Ulster County Information Services to
complete an initial benchmarking report,
followed by an annual report on the status
of program requirements and activities.
ACTION BF-8
Install biomass heating systems at
Highway Division Substations
The County will install a wood pellet heating
system to replace propane heating in one or
more properties in the Department of Public
Works’ network of highway substations. A
feasibility study will be included in a larger
scope energy and logistics assessment (of
the highway substation network) to deter-
mine if a wood pellet heating installation is
appropriate as an energy source for each
property. This feasibility study will consider
types of available technology, proximity to
the wood pellet source, availability of bulk
delivery services, costs, permitting and
other restrictions, and other related factors
to implementing the system. If the study
concludes that a wood pellet installation is
feasible, the County will select suitable sites
for the installation along with a contractor
to develop and implement the system.
ACTION BF-9
Install geothermal heating and
cooling system(s)
The County is currently conducting feasibility
studies as selected large County proper-
ties for ground source heat pump (GSHP)
systems through the NYSERDA/New York
Power Authority (NYPA) Geothermal Clean
Energy Challenge program. The County will
continue to assess feasibility at County prop-
erties both within and outside the program.
The County will consider installing a GSHP
system in the Carr Building at 1 Pearl Street.
A GHSP system was included as “Other
b u I l d I N G S A N d O T h E R F A c I l I T I E S
Ulster County, New York | 47
Measures Considered” in the County’s
2010 energy audit. The auditor suggested
a vertical loop field with 4 new heat pump
units to serve the heating and cooling loads
of the building. This measure would replace
the need to replace the condensing steam
boiler and associated distribution system.
ACTION BF-10
Retrocommission low performing
buildings
Retrocommissioning is the process of
assessing, analyzing and adjusting the
operational parameters of systems in an
existing building to optimize the system’s
performance and satisfy current operational
needs. The County will hire a consultant to
retrocommission buildings that have been
identified as low performing through the
benchmarking process. For the County,
low performing buildings will be selected
using the metric of emissions intensity.
The County’s process will conform with
the retrocommissioning requirements put
forth in the NYS BuildSmartNY guidelines
developed by NYPA. Retrocommissioning
activities will be funded by the green
revolving fund and offset to the extent
possible by available funding and incentives.
ACTION BF-11
Upgrade HVAC equipment
The County will upgrade HVAC systems
in government buildings to exceed the
ASHRAE Energy Standard for Buildings
Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings,
90.1 by at least 3 percent and meet the
NYStretch Energy Code-2020 standard, if
applicable. New HVAC systems must also
qualify for the EPA ENERGY STAR rating,
if applicable. Upgrades will occur as
deemed necessary by the UC Public Works
Department based on recommendations
from the Department of the Environment.
Buildings with high emissions intensity will
be targeted for upgrades. The Department
of Public Works will develop and main-
tain an inventory of all HVAC equipment in
County-owned buildings to determine and
anticipate equipment replacement cycles.
ACTION BF-12
Assess small wind turbine system(s)
for County-owned properties
Based upon review of wind resource studies
for New York State, the County has deter-
mined that large wind (>2 MW) systems are
generally not economically feasible in Ulster
County. However, in order to maximize the
opportunities for distributed generation, the
County will conduct an internal feasibility
study for small- scale wind turbines at all
County owned properties using the NYSERDA
New York State Small windExplorer siting
application. If warranted, the County will
install a small wind turbine at one or more
County facilities. The County will refer-
ence the NYSERDA Small Wind Turbine
program to determine available incentives.
I M P l E M E N T A T I O N R O A d M A P
48 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
ACTION BF-13
Complete renewable energy
feasibility studies
The County will complete at least three
targeted renewable energy feasibility
studies for technologies such as wind, solar,
biomass, or geothermal. Depending on the
scope and budget for the study, the County
may elect to issue a request for proposals
to hire an external consultant with exper-
tise in analyzing and installing renewable
energy systems. Completed and in prog-
ress energy master plan assessments
will be used to inform further work deter-
mining feasibility of prospective projects.
ACTION BF-14
Conduct a rooftop solar assessment
The County will commission a study to
assess the generation potential on rooftops
of County owned buildings. The study will
assess potential capacity, interconnection,
roof condition, building energy needs, incen-
tive structures, risks and cost. The study will
make recommendations for prioritizing devel-
opment of sites based on economic analysis.
ACTION BF-15
Evaluate brownfields for solar PV
development through coordination
with the EPA
The County Department of the Environment
will work with the EPA’s Solar Technical
Assistance Team (STAT) to assist devel-
opment of foreclosure eligible brownfield
properties for solar PV production. In some
cases, the County will procure a portion of
the locally generated power through the
Community Distributed Generation program.
ACTION BF-16
Evaluate in-stream energy
recovery system(s) for the
Golden Hill water system.
The County will evaluate feasibility of
installing in-stream hydroelectric generation
systems in the Golden Hill water system.
Such a system may offer the ability to
recapture a portion of the pumping energy
used in the system.
ACTION BF-17
Install additional solar PV system(s)
using a third-party ownership model
The County will install solar PV technology
at 5 new or existing public facilities or
public properties using PPA or a land lease
model. The agreement will be designed
for Ulster County to be the partial or sole
offtaker of the power.
ACTION BF-18
Install battery storage technology
on County property
The County will assess ways to integrate
future County-managed solar PV
development into the electrical grid with
a battery energy system that can provide
grid services. Energy storage offers the
ability to make the local electrical grid more
efficient by controlling the intermittency
of solar PV production, managing demand
peaks and allowing for expanded renewable
development capacity.
b u I l d I N G S A N d O T h E R F A c I l I T I E S
Ulster County, New York | 49
ACTION BF-19
Offset Scope 1 and 2 emissions
from buildings and facilities
The County will purchase third-party
certified carbon offsets to offset 100%
of Scope 1 emissions from stationary
combustion of fossil fuels in its buildings.
The County will also purchase Green-e
certified renewable energy credits (RECs)
on the voluntary market to offset 100% of
its Scope 2 emissions from buildings. This
purchase may take the form of a green power
product provided by an energy services
company (ESCO). If feasible, the RECs will
be Clean Energy Standard (CES) Tier 1 and
retired in the New York State Generation
Attribute Tracking System (NYGATS). RECs
will be purchased for 100% of annual
usage (in kWh) regardless of the actual
percentage of nonrenewable fuels in the
mixture of power sourced by the utility.
ACTION BF-14 Conduct rooftop solar assessment. ACTION VF-4 Execute UC Green Fleet local law for vehicle replacement schedule. ACTION VF-7 Purchase full size electric bus(es). ACTION TF-3 Increase biodiesel use in transit operations.
ACTION TF-5 Install Level 2 EVSE at UCAT.
Improve vehicle inventory to allow for better right-sizing analysis and decision making.ASSESS
Right-size the fleet using fleet audits and life-cycle methodology. Reduce vehicle miles traveled.AVOId
Expand the percentage of green vehicles in the fleet. cONSERVE
Utilize renewables onsite to meet electric vehicle charging needs. Increase usage of renewable biofuels.GENERATE
Measure emissions and offset remaining Scope 1 and 2 emissions with RECs and Carbon Credits.OFFSET
I M P l E M E N T A T I O N R O A d M A P
50 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
Focus Area #2: Vehicle Fleet
Focus Area Goal: By 2025, reduce sector emissions by 20% (670.9MT CO2e) from 2017
levels. This reduction will yield an overall 4.9% reduction from the 2012 baseline.
GHG emissions from the vehicle fleet can vary significantly from year to year due to changes
to operational requirements, capital projects and extreme weather events. The Ulster County
Green Fleet Law of 2015 sets green vehicle implementation goals and mandates annual
tracking and reporting, but generally applies only to passenger vehicles. A large portion of
the County’s vehicle fleet emissions come from medium and heavy duty vehicles which are
currently difficult to replace with existing technology.
Figure 12. Vehicle Fleet GHG Reduction Strategy
V E h I c l E F l E E T
Ulster County, New York | 51
ACTION VF-1
Quantify vehicle miles traveled
(VMT) for Highway Division
heavy duty vehicles
The Department of Environment will
work with the DPW Highways Division to
analyze data from the FuelMaster vehicle
management system, which is installed
on most Division heavy-duty vehicles.
This analysis will provide insights to the
Fleet manager and Highways Division
Garage Supervisor to make decisions about
routing, personnel training, and vehicle life
cycle. This capability has been installed
recently, but not fully incorporated into
the County’s green fleet data collection.
ACTION VF-2
Implement a vehicle location
tracking system
The County will install an Auto Vehicle
Locator (AVL) system to track mileage
and analyze routing patterns of County
owned vehicles. Analysis of fleet vehicle
activity by the County’s Fleet Manager
and Department of the Environment
will be used to make recommendations
for fleet vehicle operating procedures
aimed at reducing fuel consumption.
Action Number
Action Strategic Priority
Impact cost Timeframe
VF-1 Quantify vehicle miles traveled (VMT) for Highway Division heavy duty vehicles
Assess Low Low Short
VF-2 Implement a vehicle location tracking system Avoid Low Medium Medium
VF-3 Adopt biodiesel blend for Highway Department vehicles Conserve Medium Medium Medium
VF-4 Continue to execute UC Green Fleet Local law vehicle replacement schedule
Conserve Medium Medium Short
VF-5 Install additional EV charging stations to support fleet operations
Conserve Low Medium Short
VF-6 Purchase electric grounds maintenance equipment Conserve Low Low Medium
VF-7 Purchase electric passenger transit vans for Sheriff’s department
Conserve Medium Medium Medium
VF-8 Train UC fleet mechanics to maintain and repair electric vehicles
Conserve Medium Medium Medium
VF-9 Deploy solar PV EVSE system(s) Generate Low High Long
VF-10 Offset Scope 1 and 2 emissions from vehicle fleet operations Offset High Medium Short
Table 7. Vehicle Fleet Action Items
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52 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
ACTION VF-3
Adopt biodiesel blend for
Highway Division vehicles
The County will adopt a biodiesel blend
fuel for heavy duty vehicles in public works
fleet. Initially a B5 blend will be introduced
where feasible, with the goal to increase
the percentage of biodiesel in the fuel up
to 20% (B20).
ACTION VF-4
Continue to execute UC Green Fleet
Local law vehicle replacement
schedule
Local Law No. 9 of 2015 mandates that a
minimum of 5% of the fleet by 2020 are green
vehicles. Thereafter, annually, a minimum of
20% of passenger vehicles purchased, leased
or otherwise obtained will be green vehicles.
ACTION VF-5
Install additional EV charging
stations to support fleet operations
The County currently operates 17 Level
2 (240V) EV charging station on County-
owned properties. The County will use grant
and rebate funding to install additional
stations and make them available to the
fleet and the public. Installation locations
will be determined based on fleet needs.
ACTION VF-6
Purchase electric grounds
maintenance equipment
The County will evaluate and purchase
electric lawn care equipment: mowers,
leaf blowers, trimmers etc. The UC
Department of the Environment will assist
DPW Buildings and Grounds Division with
the procurement process. The use of this
equipment will reduce Scope 1 emis-
sions from combustion of gasoline.
ACTION VF-7
Purchase electric passenger transit
vans for Sheriff’s department
The County will purchase one or more
fully-electric vehicles to serve as inmate
transport vehicles. These vehicles will
utilize the existing Level 2 EVSE at the
Ulster County Law Enforcement Center.
If possible, the County will utilize funding
from the NY Truck Voucher Incentive
program when it becomes available.
ACTION VF-8
Train UC fleet mechanics to maintain
and repair electric vehicles
The Department of the Environment will
work with the County’s Office of Education
and Training to seek grant funding to
develop a training program for vehicle
fleet mechanics to prepare the County’s
workforce to operate and maintain electric
vehicles and equipment. This action directly
supports the expansion of green vehicles in
the fleet by reducing maintenance costs.
Ulster County, New York | 53
ACTION VF-3 Adopt biodiesel blend for Highway Department vehicles. ACTION VF-4 Execute UC Green Fleet local law for vehicle replacement schedule.
ACTION VF-9
Deploy solar PV EVSE system(s)
Standalone EV charging technology exists
that would allow for off-grid electric vehicle
charging, fueled solely by solar PV panels
built into the charging station canopy.
Adoption of this technology would allow
fully electric vehicles to operate in areas
of the County where grid interconnec-
tion would be costly/difficult, where grid
power is not available due to an outage, or
where the operations are temporary. This
technology also offers a mobile power
supply for emergency operations, to be
utilized by the Ulster County Emergency
Services or the Sheriff’s Department.
ACTION VF-10
Offset Scope 1 and 2 emissions from
vehicle fleet operations
The County will continue to offset all mobile
combustion and purchased electricity
emissions from vehicle fleet operation.
Determine the feasibility of fleet electrification.ASSESS
Use Route Planning to maximize ridership per VMT.AVOId
Implement electrification of buses, paratransit vehicles and support vehicles.cONSERVE
Utilize locally-generated renewable electricity to meet electric vehicle charging needs. Increase usage of renewable biofuels.GENERATE
Measure emissions and offset remaining Scope 1 and 2 emissions with RECs and Carbon Credits.OFFSET
Figure 13. Transit Fleet GHG Reduction Strategy
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54 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
Focus Area #3: Transit Fleet
Focus Area Goal: By 2025, reduce sector emissions by an additional 15% (221.4 MT CO2e)
from 2017 levels. This reduction will yield an overall 4.3% reduction from the 2012 baseline.
Electric technology exists for many transit vehicle applications today. Ulster County’s
approach to reduce emissions in the transit fleet sector is to purchase electric vehicles
as their fossil fuel predecessors become due for replacement. Operational needs will be
evaluated to ensure the technologies chosen are appropriate for the application and that
sufficient charging infrastructure is in place.
Action Number
Action Strategic Priority
Impact cost Timeframe
TF-1 Complete a Transit Fleet Electrification Study Assess Low Medium Short
TF-2 Modify transit routes and schedules to maximize passenger miles per unit GHG emissions
Avoid Medium Medium Medium
TF-3 Increase biodiesel use in transit operations Conserve Medium Medium Medium
TF-4 Install DC fast charging equipment at UCAT facilities for bus charging
Conserve High Medium Short
TF-5 Install Level 2 EVSE at UCAT Conserve Low Low Short
TF-6 Purchase electric paratransit vehicle(s) Conserve Medium High Long
TF-7 Purchase full size electric bus(es) Conserve High High Medium
TF-8 Purchase green vehicle(s) for UCAT support/ administrative fleet
Conserve Low Medium Short
TF-9 Train UCAT mechanics to maintain and repair electric buses
Conserve Medium Medium Short
TF-10 Offset Scope 1 and 2 emissions from transit operations Offset High Medium Short
Table 8. Transit Fleet Action Items
T R A N S I T F l E E T
Ulster County, New York | 55
ACTION TF-1
Complete a Transit Fleet
Electrification Study
Ulster County has been awarded grant
funding for a transit fleet electrification
study. The County will contract with a
vendor to conduct a technical feasibility
assessment and a roadmap to suppor the
deployment of electric transit vehicles in
the UCAT fleet over an estimated 12 year
replacement cycle. This roadmap would be
designed to be a transferrable framework
for transit fleets in the region to conduct
a similar study. This study will include
consideration and evaluation of EV bus
charging infrastructure required.
ACTION TF-2
Modify transit routes and schedules
to maximize passenger miles per
unit GHG emissions
As part of its ongoing transportation plan-
ning initiatives, the County will analyze
ways to decrease the VMT and emissions
associated with the transit fleet operation
while maximizing the number of passenger
miles and increasing ridership. These
improvements will ensure that the greatest
number of County residents and visitors
have access to high-efficiency transpor-
tation alternatives, reducing both transit
fleet emissions and emissions from the
regional community transportation sector.
ACTION TF-3
Increase biodiesel use in transit
operations
Ulster County will source and use B20
biodiesel fuel for transit fleet, when opera-
tionally feasible. Currently, the transit fleet
uses B5 biodiesel approximately 50% of the
year. Increasing the biodiesel percentage in
the fuel would reduce conventional diesel
usage by approximately 9,500 gallons/
year, saving 100 metric tons of carbon
emissions. These emissions would be
considered biogenic in origin and would not
add to our Scope 1 emissions inventory.
ACTION TF-4
Install DC fast charging equipment
at UCAT facilities for bus charging
The County will partner with NYPA to
install at least 3 depot-style DC fast charge
bus chargers rated at 150KW or greater
at the UCAT bus garage. The County
will utilize cost share funding provided
through the Volkswagen settlement, a
program managed by the NYS DEC.
ACTION TF-5
Install Level 2 EVSE at UCAT
The County will install multiple Level 2
EVSE stations at the UCAT headquarters
and bus garage to service fleet support
vehicles and demand service vans. The
number of plugs will be determined based
on operational scheduling and power needs.
ACTION VF-7 Purchase full size electric bus(es).
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56 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
ACTION TF-6
Purchase electric paratransit
vehicle(s)
The County will identify and adopt tech-
nology to electrify the paratransit fleet.
Existing paratransit vehicles are 14-22
seat cutaway buses with lift capability
that are powered by diesel or gasoline.
The County’s transit fleet electrification
study will inform choices for adoption.
ACTION TF-7
Purchase full size electric bus(es)
The County will integrate 35’ and 40’ elec-
tric buses into its existing fleet. UCAT will
seek federal and state funding, including
VW settlement funding to offset the incre-
mental cost above that of a typical diesel
powered vehicle. This cost is expected to
be approximately $250,000. UCAT will
also install depot style DC fast-charging
infrastructure in its bus depot to support
the integration of electric buses.
ACTION TF-8
Purchase green vehicles for UCAT
support/administrative fleet
Purchase one or more green vehicle for
administrative and support use at UCAT.
Vehicle shall be a plug-in hybrid or all
electric vehicle. This vehicle will replace
an existing conventional fuel service
vehicle and will utilize a Level 2 charging
station installed on site at UCAT.
ACTION TF-9
Train UCAT mechanics to maintain
and repair electric buses
The Department of the Environment will
work with the County’s Office of Education
and Training to seek grant funding to
develop a training program for UCAT bus
mechanics to prepare the County’s workforce
to operate and maintain electric buses.
ACTION TF-10
Offset Scope 1 and 2 emissions from
transit operations
The County will continue to purchase
carbon credits to offset Scope 1 mobile
combustion emissions from transit opera-
tions. When the fleet begins to electrify, the
County will purchase RECs to offset emis-
sions from Scope 2 purchased electricity.
Improve tracking and reporting activities.ASSESS
Analyze County operations to find areas for improvement.AVOId
Implement policies and procedures to set policy and procedure to direct organizational practices and promote a culture of energy efficiency and waste reduction. cONSERVE
Not applicable.GENERATE
Continue to purchase carbon credits to offset quantified Scope 3 emissions.OFFSET
Ulster County, New York | 57
Focus Area #4: Policy & Procedure
GHG emissions from County operations can be impacted by County employee decision-making
processes and behaviors. These emission sources can cross boundaries between reporting
sectors and are often dependent on structural choices made early in the planning process.
Through the implementation of climate-conscious policies and procedures, the County can
achieve long-term reductions of Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions across all reporting sectors.
ACTION PP-1
Develop materials management
annual plan and report
The County will develop a tracking and
reporting mechanism for solid waste, recy-
cling and diversion across all government
operations activities. This information will
be summarized in an annual report that
is developed by the County’s Department
of Public Works and reviewed by the
Department of the Environment prior to
release. Each annual report will update the
solid waste management plan with new
initiatives for the subsequent reporting year.
ACTION PP-2
Develop methodology for reporting
emissions from contracted services
The County will develop a list of vital govern-
ment services that are currently contracted
with outside vendors to provide a better
picture of emissions attributed to govern-
ment operations. The intent will be to identify
long term contracts and estimate emissions
based on the quantity of services provided.
Figure 14. Policy & Procedure GHG Reduction Strategy
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58 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
Table 9. Policy & Procedure Action Items
Action Number
Action Strategic Priority
Impact cost Timeframe
PP-1 Develop materials management annual plan and report Assess Low Low Short
PP-2 Develop methodology for reporting emissions from contracted services
Assess Low Low Short
PP-3 Implement Social Cost of Carbon into capital planning and government operations decisions
Assess Low Low Short
PP-4 Improve vehicle inventory Assess Low Low Short
PP-5 Seek grant funding for climate change mitigation projects Assess Low Low Short
PP-6 Track building energy efficiency upgrades Assess Low Low Short
PP-7 Track water usage for government buildings Assess Low Low Long
PP-8 Adopt a green building standard for existing buildings Avoid Medium Low Short
PP-9 Conduct life-cycle analysis for all new vehicle purchases Avoid Low Medium Medium
PP-10 Develop an organic waste program for government buildings
Avoid Low Low Short
PP-11 Education and outreach for employee energy conservation Avoid Medium Low Short
PP-12 Encourage green business travel Avoid Low Low Medium
PP-13 Encourage UC Employee commuting on UCAT Avoid Low Low Medium
PP-14 Improve refrigerant management procedures Avoid High Medium Medium
PP-15 Integrate sustainability review procedures into the capital planning process
Avoid Medium Low Short
PP-16 Right-size the local government fleet Avoid High Low Short
PP-17 Update the County’s environmentally preferable purchasing policy
Avoid Medium Medium Short
PP-18 Use vehicle tracking systems to monitor the anti-idling policy for County Highway vehicles
Avoid Low Low Short
PP-19 Adopt a green financing mechanism Conserve Medium Low Short
PP-20 Develop a government ops waste reduction strategy Conserve Low Low Medium
PP-21 Incorporate waste & energy provisions in government contracts
Conserve Low Low Medium
PP-22 Join EPA WasteWise program Conserve Low Low Long
PP-23 Adopt a PV-Ready construction standard Generate Medium Low Short
PP-24 Establish internal procedures to evaluate foreclosure eligible properties for clean energy siting potential
Generate Medium Low Medium
PP-25 Conduct carbon sequestration planning for County Owned properties
Offset Medium High Long
P O l I c I E S & P R O c E d u R E S
Ulster County, New York | 59
ACTION PP-3
Implement Social Cost of Carbon
into capital planning and
government operations decisions
The County will use federal and state
estimates for the true cost of GHG emis-
sions (Social Cost of Carbon, SC-C02) as a
metric for evaluating economic decisions
related to Climate Action Plan projects.
The Department of the Environment will
quantify and compare the actual cost of
voluntary carbon offsets to the SC-C02
in annual GHG inventory reporting. This
action will become part of the capital
sustainability review checklist.
ACTION PP-4
Improve vehicle inventory
The County will track additional categories
in its vehicle inventory to meet the stan-
dards of the Climate Smart Communities
program. At minimum, the fleet inventory
must include the following 11 categories
for every four-wheeled vehicle owned
or operated by the local government:
• Model year
• Year purchased
• Make
• Model
• Drivetrain type (2-wheel, 4-wheel, or
all-wheel drive)
• Type of fuel/power source (e.g., gasoline,
diesel, compressed natural gas, electricity)
• Miles per gallon (MPG) rating
• Mileage (i.e., the odometer reading)
• Class: light-duty, medium-duty, or
heavy-duty
• Gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) over
8,500 pounds: yes or no (This is a threshold
often used for determining whether a
vehicle qualifies as a heavy-duty vehicle
and might therefore be deemed exempt
from a municipal fleet efficiency policy.)
• Vehicle function (i.e., the tasks associated
with the vehicle’s use)
ACTION PP-5
Seek grant funding for climate
change mitigation projects
The County’s Department of the Environment
will identify and pursue grant opportu-
nities to further develop Ulster County
Climate Action Plan projects in all phases.
ACTION PP-6
Track building energy efficiency
upgrades
Ulster County tracks and will continue to
track energy efficiency upgrades. These
include routine replacements of lighting
and HVAC equipment, as well as the imple-
mentation of energy conservation measures
(ECMs) that have been identified through
energy audits. Keeping track of improve-
ments allows the county to apply for utility
rebate programs and to quantify energy
cost savings for financing future projects
through its green revolving fund. Energy
savings estimates allow the County to
perform measurement & verification to
ensure that expenditures are achieving the
desired effect with regard to energy savings.
60 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
Energy efficiency projects are tracked
using the Green Revolving Investment
Tracking System (GRITS), a product of
the Sustainable Endowments Institute
(http://www.endowmentinstitute.org/).
ACTION PP-7
Track water usage for
government buildings
The County will incorporate water
tracking into EPA Portfolio Manager for
buildings that are metered from the City
of Kingston water supply. Other prop-
erties with metered water supplies will
be added to the database as able.
ACTION PP-8
Adopt a green building standard
for existing buildings
Resolution 383 of 2006 established
green building standards for new County
construction projects. This action would
create a green building standard for
existing buildings and a checklist for
upgrades, and process for review, poten-
tially creating a path to certification. The
County will endeavor to adopt a policy that
requires one or more of the following:
• Proactively upgrade existing buildings to a
specific set of green building standards by
a certain date
• Incorporation of green building standards
when facilities are to be upgraded
• Apply green building standards to existing
operation and maintenance programs
ACTION PP-8 Adopt a green building standard for existing buildings.
P O l I c I E S & P R O c E d u R E S
Ulster County, New York | 61
The County may reference existing green
building design guidelines such as LEED
for Existing Buildings or LEED Operations
and Maintenance standards or, it may
establish its own standards. If referencing
an existing standard, it is not necessary to
require buildings to be certified under the
referenced program, as costs for certifica-
tion can be prohibitive. Policies can instead
require that buildings be certifiable under
the guidelines. It is recommended that
the adopted standards or policy specify
the size and age of buildings to which
the standards would be applicable.
ACTION PP-9
Conduct life-cycle analysis for
all new vehicle purchases
The County Fleet Manager in coordination
with the Department of the Environment
will develop methodology and a proce-
dure for calculating life cycle cost of new
vehicles and document within the vehicle
inventory. The life cycle analysis will inform
vehicle replacement decisions, improving
the overall efficiency of fleet operations.
ACTION PP-10
Develop an organic waste program
for government buildings
The County will develop a program to
provide organic waste collection and
composting infrastructure in local govern-
ment buildings for employees and visitors.
If feasible, the County will contract with
a third-party vendor to conduct regular
pickup and hauling services. The contract
will require that the mass of organic waste
diverted be quantified and reported to the
UC Department of the Environment.
ACTION PP-11
Education and outreach for
employee energy conservation
The County’s Department of the Environment
will continue efforts to promote awareness
of energy and resource efficiency prac-
tices among Ulster County employees, to
include updating the “Energy Smart Office
Procedures” page on the County intranet.
The County will update and continue to
disseminate the UC Government Energy
Policy & Implementation Guidebook.
ACTION PP-12
Encourage green business travel
The County will develop an operating
procedure to encourage green business
engagements that minimize the need to
travel, both internally and externally. The
policy will include a decision matrix to
assist managers who are evaluating travel
requests to ensure that the individual
is considering the ability to conduct the
required business via teleconferencing or
video conferencing. For internal County
business, telepresence through existing IS
systems will be encouraged and promoted.
If possible, incentives will be developed
to further encourage remote meetings.
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62 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
ACTION PP-13
Encourage UC Employee
commuting on UCAT
The Department of the Environment will
promote the use of public transit by UC
employees for commuting to work. To the
extent possible, the County will use employee
ride data from UCAT to inform estimates of
GHG emissions from employee commuting.
ACTION PP-14
Improve refrigerant management
procedures
The County will review and improve its
refrigerant management procedures for
HVAC systems at County-owned properties
in accordance with Section 608 of the EPA’s
Clean Air Act. The procedure will mandate a
periodic inventory of existing refrigerants, to
include refrigerant type and mass of charge
in equipment. Additionally, the procedure will
require documentation of leaks, recharges,
equipment replacement and reclaim of
materials in order to calculate an annual
leak rate. The procedures will recommend
leak testing and repair for HVAC equipment
when warranted. The procedure will set
guidance for acquisition of new equipment
containing alternative refrigerants (low-GWP
or non-HFC) with reference to the EPA’s
Significant New Alternative Policy (SNAP)
program. The County does not currently
inventory emissions from refrigerants in its
GHG inventory, but this action will make it
possible to quantify Scope 1 refrigerant emis-
sions and adjust the baseline accordingly.
ACTION PP-15
Integrate sustainability review
procedures into the capital
planning process
The County Department of the Environment,
with the Department of Finance and the
Department of Public Works, will develop
a review process to ensure Capital project
development, design and procurement
processes integrate sustainability, energy
efficiency standards and best practices.
Applicable standards will be the NYS Energy
Conservation Code, LEED, Energy Star, the
NYStretch Energy Code - 2020 and Central
Hudson energy efficiency programs, or
others as defined by the Department of the
Environment. The review process will take
the form of a checklist that must be approved
by the Department of the Environment before
a project can proceed. The Department of
the Environment may elect to require an
approval at each phase of the project, to
ensure vendors are complying with stated
standards and requirements. Where appli-
cable, a life cycle cost-benefit analysis will
be conducted (throughout the design phase)
to ensure that increased energy savings
are captured wherever possible. If needed,
in coordination with the UC Purchasing
Department, the County’s green revolving
fund will be used to fund the incremental
cost increase for a sustainable and/or energy
efficient design over the best cost design.
P O l I c I E S & P R O c E d u R E S
Ulster County, New York | 63
ACTION PP-16
Right-size the local government fleet
The County Department of the Environment
will work with the Fleet Manager to imple-
ment the fleet rightsizing initiative contained
in the Climate Smart Communities program.
This will consist of the following strategies:
1) Fleet analysis, 2) Optimization of Fleet
assignments, 3) Reduction of Fleet size
ACTION PP-17
Update the County’s environmentally
preferable purchasing policy
Ulster County developed and implemented
an environmentally preferable “green”
procurement policy in 2011. This policy
will be updated to meet the standards and
consideration areas of CSC PE3 Action:
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
Policy. The Department of the Environment
will conduct an audit to ensure that this
policy is being used in practice. The
Department of the Environment will also
conduct training with purchasing depart-
ment personnel. To the extent possible,
the County will mirror NY State Office of
General Services (OGS) Green NY purchasing
policies and utilize OGS specifications.
ACTION PP-18
Use vehicle tracking systems to
monitor the anti-idling policy for
County Highway vehicles
The Green Fleet Policy sets an anti-idling
requirement for all County vehicles.
Technology exists to enforce this
requirement as well as to monitor idling
time. The County’s Department of the
Environment will monitor the FuelMaster
vehicle tracking system to make recom-
mendations to the County’s Department
of Public Works for minimizing idle time
in Highway Department vehicles.
ACTION PP-19
Adopt a green financing mechanism
The County will establish a financing mech-
anism for energy efficiency and renewable
energy projects in government owned build-
ings. The fund will operate in the model of a
green revolving fund which is wholly-funded
by a fixed percentage of documented energy
savings from completed energy efficiency
projects. This fund will be used to fund new
energy efficiency and renewable energy
projects, or the incremental cost increase
thereof, as well as the purchase of offsets
and other climate action initiatives.
ACTION PP-20
Develop a government ops waste
reduction strategy
Through the development of a mate-
rials management plan, the County will
develop a strategy for reducing waste
for government operations. This plan will
also include a waste management proce-
dure for government hosted events.
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64 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
ACTION PP-21
Incorporate waste & energy
provisions in government contracts
The Department of the Environment will work
with the County Attorney’s office to update
the County’s contract boilerplate language to
meet the requirements of the Climate Smart
Communities (CSC) PE3 Action: Waste &
Energy Provisions in Government Contracts
ACTION PP-22
Join EPA WasteWise program
The County, led by the County’s Department
of the Environment and in coordination with
the Department of Public Works, will conduct
the prerequisite evaluations and complete
the actions needed to qualify as an active
participant in the EPA’s WasteWise program.
ACTION PP-23
Adopt a PV-Ready construction
standard
The County will develop a standard to make
new construction buildings “PV-ready.”
This policy will become part of the capital
planning sustainability checklist.
ACTION PP-24
Establish internal procedures
to evaluate foreclosure eligible
properties for clean energy
siting potential
The Department of the Environment will lead
an effort to develop procedures in County
government for evaluating foreclosure
eligible properties for distributed gener-
ation development. The County is well
positioned to redevelop many sites on the
foreclosure list that are undesirable to other
potential owners due to brownfield status.
The County will use working relationships
with the EPA Solar Technical Assistance
Team (STAT) and the DEC to assist with
site assessment and release from liens, if
applicable. The end goal will be a process
to annually evaluate properties for envi-
ronmental potential and benefits (i.e. open
space, clean energy generation, etc.)
ACTION PP-25
Conduct carbon sequestration
planning for County Owned
properties
The County will assess existing County-
owned properties (large tracts of land) for
potential carbon sequestration projects
using DEC (or other) guidance to maximize
carbon sequestration. This activity may
require work with a licensed forester and
coordination with the County Soil and Water
and other stakeholders. The study will
quantify the terms required for addition-
ality and the GHG impact potential under
several cost scenarios (to be determined)
with reference to the Social Cost of Carbon.
Broaden scope of tracking activities to improve ability to quantify Scope 3 emissions.ASSESS
Implement policies and procedures to affect behavior and energy use needs.AVOId
Implement policies and procedures to reduce waste, water-use and promote energy efficiency.cONSERVE
Not applicable.GENERATE
Continue to purchase carbon credits to offset quantified Scope 3 emissions.OFFSET
Ulster County, New York | 65
Focus Area #5: Scope 3 Emissions
Scope 3 emissions are indirect emissions that are not covered in Scope 2. Per the Local
Government Operations Protocol, reporting of Scope 3 emissions is considered optional, but
encouraged to the extent possible. During the execution of this plan, the County intends to
continuously improve data collection, tracking and reporting capabilities to extend the reach
of the Scope 3 emission sources that the County government can quantify and mitigate.
To date, only Scope 3 emissions attributed to employee commutes have been estimated
and reported. As a result, it is expected that the quantity of emissions reported in future GHG
inventories will increase. Actions in this Focus area will target these Scope 3 sources:
• Employee Commute
• Employee business travel
• Emissions from contracted services
• Waste related emissions
• Supply chain emissions
Figure 15. Scope 3 GHG Reduction Strategy
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66 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
ACTION S3-1
Conduct a government
solid waste audit
Assessing the amount and composition of the
waste generated by local government oper-
ations is an essential step in establishing a
baseline from which to measure waste diver-
sion and reduction improvements over time.
This baseline will inform decisions about
waste management and will aid in quanti-
fying potential cost and emissions savings.
The waste audit plan will be developed by
the Department of the Environment and will
be executed by DPW staff. The Department
of the Environment will synthesize and
analyze the results, determining a baseline
Scope 3 emissions estimate. Where possible,
building waste streams will be tracked using
the EPA Portfolio Manager application.
ACTION S3-2
Conduct employee
commuting survey
The County will issue an annual employee
commuting survey based on the template
developed by the Hudson Valley Regional
Council in the Climate Action Planning
Institute Program. This survey will inform
the assumptions of Scope 3 employee
commute emissions estimates. The
survey will be issued in an online format
and in paper format when able. The
Department of Environment will collect
and analyze the data annually.
ACTION S3-3
Quantify business travel emissions
The County will collect travel reimburse-
ment forms from the Finance Department
to make an analysis of Scope 3 emissions
from business travel to include airline
Table 10. Scope 3 Action Items
Action Number
Action Strategic Priority
Impact cost Timeframe
S3-1 Conduct a government solid waste audit Assess Low Medium Medium
S3-2 Conduct employee commuting survey Assess Low Low Short
S3-3 Quantify business travel emissions Assess Low Medium Medium
S3-4 Improve bicycle infrastructure at County properties Avoid Low Low Medium
S3-5 Provide incentives for employee carpooling & transit Avoid Low Low Long
S3-6 Host employee ride & drive event Conserve Low Low Short
S3-7 Install water efficient fixtures Conserve Low Medium Long
S3-8 Offset emissions from employee commutes Offset High Medium Short
S c O P E 3 E M I S S I O N S
Ulster County, New York | 67
travel, rental cars and personal vehicle
miles. This information will be included in
an updated Scope 3 emissions baseline.
ACTION S3-4
Improve bicycle infrastructure
at County properties
The County will install bicycle racks at all
County properties. Bicycle racks will be
sheltered when possible and located in a
well lit location, positioned to ensure that
building access is of comparable ease to that
of vehicle drivers. Buildings with fewer than
10 employees, or in remote locations could
be excepted.
ACTION S3-5
Provide incentives for employee
carpooling & transit
The County will encourage resource-
efficient behavior among their employees
by developing programs to incentivize the
use of alternative forms of transportation.
ACTION S3-6
Host employee ride & drive event
The Department of Environment and the
DPW Fleet Manager will host Ride and Drive
events for employees of departments that
have EV fleet vehicles and EV charging
stations. The aim of the program will be to
get UC employees engaged with electric
vehicle technology and become well-versed
in how to operate and charge electric
vehicles. The Department of the Environment
will track the number of employees engaged
in these events.
ACTION S3-7
Install water efficient fixtures
Water-efficient fixtures should be installed
in County buildings to save money and
reduce energy use. For new construction and
renovation projects, water-efficient fixtures
should be installed in bathrooms, kitchens,
and any other relevant areas throughout
local government buildings. Water-efficient
fixtures may include low-flow or dual-flush
toilets, faucet aerators, low-flow show-
erheads, or waterless urinals. This action
item will be included in a sustainability
checklist that will be reviewed for all new
capital projects. The County will endeavor to
create an inventory of water fixture types by
building and identify areas for improvement.
ACTION S3-8
Offset emissions from
employee commutes
The County will continue to purchase
carbon credits to offset emissions from
employee commuting. Through surveys
and best practice methods, the County
will improve its estimates of employee
commuting Scope 3 emissions.
68 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
ACTION BF-10 Retrocommission low performing buildings. ACTION BF-18 Install battery storage technology on County property.ACTION TF-5 Install Level 2 EVSE.
Ulster County, New York | 69
Implementation Plan
MetricsClimate action plan progress will be measured using GHG emissions intensity metrics.
GHG emissions intensity is calculated as GHG emissions per unit of service provided.
These metrics will be reported in the annual GHG Inventory Report and other associated
Ulster County annual reports (Benchmarking, Green Fleet.)
Through implementation of this Climate Action Plan, Ulster County will improve data
collection methods to accurately quantify these metrics.
For each sector, these measures and metrics are listed below:
Sector Service measure unit GHG Emissions Intensity Metric unit Notes & Exceptions
Buildings and Other Facilities Square feet (ft2) Kg CO2e/square foot/year Certain facilities are not included in the aggregate metric—such as communications towers and EV charging stations. Excepted facilities will be listed in reporting.
Streetlights and Traffic Signals
Number of light fixtures Kg CO2e/fixture/year
Transit Fleet Vehicle Miles traveled (VMT) Kg CO2e/mile VMT includes service vehicles
Vehicle Fleet VMT Kg CO2e/mile VMT does not include certain highway and grounds maintenance equipment.
Water Delivery Facilities Gallons delivered Kg CO2e/gal Golden Hill water system only
Table 11. Climate Action Plan metrics
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70 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
Cost & FundingAll energy improvements are analyzed
on period of return or the length of time
which any increased cost associated with
an improvement would be offset by the
decreased energy costs. Wherever possible,
grants and utility sponsored programs
have been used to reduce the costs asso-
ciated with energy efficiency improve-
ments. To date, the County has focused
on short term paybacks, less than five
years, and has found many opportunities.
There have been minimal costs associated
with right-sizing and energy reduction.
The incremental cost of buying Renewable
Energy Credits (RECs) was mandated by
the County Executive to be budget neutral.
Since initiating REC and carbon offset
purchases, the County has been able to
identify and use utility incentives to imple-
ment LED retrofits with short payback
periods resulting in savings equal to the
cost of offsets. With the creation of a Green
Revolving Fund (GRF) in 2019, we anticipate
that this relationship will be formalized by
paying the cost of offsets from the GRF.
To date, the Department of the Environment
has helped to secure over $2.2 million in
outside implementation funding directly
related to energy efficiency and GHG emis-
sions reduction. This includes funding
from: the US Department of Energy, NYS
Department of Environmental Conservation,
NYSERDA and Central Hudson. Additionally,
many of these initiatives (such as the PV
solar installation at New Paltz and extensive
interior and exterior LED lighting retro-
fits) result in substantially lower energy
consumption and energy bills for the County.
As stated previously in this report, LED
lighting retrofits alone are estimated to save
over 2 million kilowatt-hours and $225,000
each year. We are confident that this plan
will allow us to continue to leverage outside
funding and identify projects with the best
return on investment for the County.
Monitoring and EvaluationExecutive Order 1-2019 clearly states the
goal of reducing GHG emissions associated
with operations (through conservation,
efficiency and on-site renewable gener-
ation) by 25% in 2025 and 80% in 2050.
This plan identifies a series of actions,
primarily focused on buildings and fleet
which when implemented should result in
meeting the 2025 goals. Since all emissions
are tracked annually through the Building
Benchmarking Report and the Green Fleet
Report, there will be consistent moni-
toring and reporting towards this goal.
SHANDAKENWOODSTOCK
SAUGERTIES
OLIVE
KINGSTON
HURLEY
ROCHESTER
WAWARSING
MARBLETOWN
ROSENDALEESOPUS
NEW PALTZ
MARBLBOROUGH
PLATTEKILL
GARDINER
SHAWANGUNK
LLOYD
ULSTER
CITY OF KINGSTON
Next Steps: Amplifying and Expanding County Climate Action
The Ulster County Government Operations
Climate Action Plan is focused on reducing
the GHG emissions associated with county
government operations. Although Ulster County
Government manages a sizeable operation, it is a
relatively small percentage of the overall County
emissions. In addition, the plan is focused strictly
on emissions reduction and does not include
other activities which support the resilience
of the County’s operations and infrastructure
to the effects of climate change. To create the
community-wide emissions reduction necessary
as well as respond to the impacts of climate
change, we must act in ways to amplify and
expand the scope of this Government Operations
Climate Action Plan.
V
OliveDenning
Wawarsing
Shandaken
Rochester
Hardenburg
Lloyd
Woodstock
Saugerties
Esopus
Hurley
Gardiner
Ulster
Marbletown
Shawangunk Plattekill
New Paltz
Marlboro
Rosendale
Kingston
Kingston
Ellenville
Saugerties
New Paltz
LegendClimate Smart Communities Status
Pledge
Silver Certified (City of Kingston & Ulster County)
Ulster County Climate Smart Communities Status(Feb 2019)
Map produced by the Ulster County Department of the Environment
N E x T S T E P S : A M P l I F y I N G A N d E x P A N d I N G c O u N T y c l I M A T E A c T I O N
72 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
Using this Plan as a Framework for Other Municipalities and OrganizationsThere are twenty-three municipalities in
Ulster County, not including the County
government. Thirteen of those municipali-
ties are registered NYS DEC Climate Smart
Communities, having already pledged to
take climate action in their community.
The City of Kingston and Ulster County
are the only communities certified with
the Climate Smart Communities program
(as of May 2019), and both have reached
the Silver level, denoting high involvement
and action. Also, as of May 2019, the City
of Kingston is the only other municipality
to have a municipal operations Climate
Action Plan in Ulster County (although some
other communities are working on plans).
To involve more Ulster County municipalities
in climate action and the role of a government
operations Climate Action Plan, direct munic-
ipal outreach as well as workshop sessions
through the Ulster County Environmental
Management Council are proposed.
Municipalities that have already committed
to climate action, through the CSC pledge,
should be encouraged to complete a govern-
ment operations CAP and could use Ulster
County’s plan as a template. Communities
that have yet to take the CSC pledge, will
continue to be encouraged to do so.
Another key way to expand the benefits
of this CAP is for Ulster County to extend
implementation opportunities to the munic-
ipalities whenever possible. Ulster County
has successfully done this in the past with
electric vehicle charging station through
active outreach and technical support for
Ulster County municipalities to site, apply
for grant funding and install EV charging
stations. This effort has yielded a robust
municipal EV charging station network in our
area. Another area of opportunity is training
of municipal staff in energy efficient and
green operations and maintenance. For the
County’s implementation of this CAP this is
a key implementation activity which would
also support green workforce development.
A significant opportunity exists to extend
any scheduled training opportunity to other
municipal employees in Ulster County.
Similar types of training initiatives have been
offered on the topic of municipal stormwater
management (and compliance with the
NYS DEC MS4 program) for many years.
Figure 16.
Ulster County, New York | 73
Other large institutions in Ulster County
managing significant facilities and or fleets
could also benefit from learning more
about this plan. Opportunities for this
outreach exist through the Ulster County
Department of Economic Development.
Expanding on the Scope of this PlanAdaptation and Resiliency on the County Level
An immediate next step, building on the
work of this Climate Action Plan, is for
Ulster County government to actively
engage in planning for the impacts of
climate change to our operations. This
initiative, the Ulster County Climate Change
Adaptation & Resiliency Planning Project,
is currently underway with grant support
from the NYS DEC. The scope of this project
includes these four main elements:
Characterize local climate change hazards
Identify and assess Ulster County
Government operations vulnerabil-
ities to climate change hazards
Develop strategies and tools to address
recognized hazards and vulnerabili-
ties for Ulster County Government
Support Ulster County municipalities in
similar planning and adaptation efforts
Why Adaptation and Resiliency? What does climate change Mean for ulster county?There is scientific consensus that New York State and the Hudson Valley will see increases in temperature, increases in average annual precipitation as well as an increase in the frequency and intensity of precipitation events, as well as rising water levels along the Hudson River (ClimAid, Mid-Hudson Regional Sustainability Plan).
Annual temperatures are projected to increase between 4 and 6 degrees F by the 2050s and annual precipitation is projected to increase by 3-10% over the same period for our area (ClimAid). These primary climate impacts will lead to secondary climate impacts including flooding, drought and heat waves.
Climate effects of these primary and secondary impacts include: property damage, crop damage, reduced water quality, reduced air quality, increased number of high heat index days and increased exposure to vector borne diseases.
Ulster County’s landscape diver-sity leads to a wide range of potential impacts and emerging hazards from a changing climate. Our agricultural sector could see impacts due to invasive species and heat stress. Impacts to habitat could potentially effect regionally significant pathways or refugia for plants and animals as they respond to climate change. Hudson River level rise, along with increased storm surge, will impact infrastructure, property
and safety along the shoreline.
For flooding in particular, there is ample documentation of our existing vulnerability. According to the NOAA Storms Events Database, there have been 115 flooding events in Ulster County since 1996. Eleven of those events have been damaging enough to warrant a Presidential disaster declaration. Ulster County ranks second in New York State for Presidential disaster declara-tions between 1960 to 2012 and sustained an estimated $470 million in flood losses in that same period (2014 NYS Hazard Mitigation Plan). Increased inten-sity and frequency of storms will lead to more flood events and economic losses.
Government Operations
Climate Action Plan
Community Wide Climate Action
PlanCounty Operations Resilience and
Adaptation Plan and Municipal Toolkit
Government Operations Focus
Municipal Operations Focus
Community Focus
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74 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
The Adaptation & Resiliency Plan will
describe and assess climate change
impacts and perform adaptation plan-
ning at a County level with the goal of
developing implementable mitigation
measures. Implementing the final plan
will allow Ulster County to make signifi-
cant strides in adapting to climate change
at the County level while simultaneously
supporting other Ulster County munici-
palities in undertaking similar efforts.
Community Wide Climate Action PlanningThe City of Kingston is the only municipality,
to date, in Ulster County to complete a
community level plan. A Community Climate
Action Plan significantly increases the
complexity of both the planning and analysis
as well as the depth and breadth of the
recommendations. However, the possibility
to quantitatively reduce emissions through
implementation are significantly greater.
Figure 17. Community Wide Action Planning
Ulster County, New York | 75
A Community Climate Action Plan for
Ulster County will build on the growing
efforts by municipalities towards commu-
nity wide energy efficiency and deployment
of renewable energy. Plan development
at the County level could also be used to
link to significant economic development
and workforce development initiatives
Building on other Plans and Initiatives The process of drafting the Adaptation &
Resiliency Plan or any County level Climate
Action Plan will build on and work with
many other important projects including:
Culvert Assessment
Ulster County completed an assessment of
over 500 County and municipal culverts docu-
menting their suitability for aquatic organism
passage as well as hydraulic capacity. A goal
of this effort, funded by the NYS DEC, was to
assess the capacity of the culverts to pass
flood flows under a range of future storm
runoff scenarios and identify those most
undersized to accommodate future flows. The
County recently received another round of
funding, through the New England Interstate
Water Pollution Control Commission, to
expand this assessment work and develop
shovel ready designs for culvert replacement.
Core Habitat Mapping
Ulster County worked with the Green
Infrastructure Center (gicinc.org) to develop
and subsequently refine a core habitat data
layer. This data layer provides information on
corridors important for the landscape scale
migration of organisms as climate change
impacts the suitability of certain areas for
those. Additionally, these data could be used
to prioritize areas which could also provide
carbon sequestration services.
Healthy Ulster
Ulster County Department of Health and
Mental Health is engaged in a diverse and
robust public health planning initiative
focused on increasing the health of
Ulster County residents through physical,
programmatic and policy change. Public
health impacts of climate change would
be characterized and detailed through this
proposed project and would be incorporated
in the Healthy Ulster initiative.
Watershed Planning
It is important to include watershed assess-
ment and characterization information from
these various efforts in any County wide
climate change planning effort. In addition,
information regarding the characterization of
vulnerabilities at the County level may be of
use to these watershed planning level efforts.
UC Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan
More than one-hundred-fifty of the proposed
mitigation projects identified in this plan are
structure and infrastructure projects. The
vast majority of these proposed projects/
actions concern the relocation or protection
of critical facilities and assets (to the 500-yr
flood event) and the up-sizing of critical
bridges and culverts in order to mitigate
against the anticipated increase in intensity
and frequency of future flooding events.
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76 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
• Climate Leadership and Community
Projection Act This recently enacted
legislation sets ambitious greenhouse
gas reduction goals for New York State.
As implementation plans and guidance
documents become available, they should
be closely considered in any County level
plan or initiative.
• Community Risk and Resiliency Act
(CRRA) This Act is an important piece of
state legislation which mainstreams the
consideration of climate change into state
and local laws. As guidance continues to be
developed for the implementation of CRRA,
the County will review these resources and
implement them as appropriate.
• Mid-Hudson Regional Sustainability
Plan This comprehensive and wide
ranging plan, produced in 2013, continues
to live on through various regional working
groups. We anticipate further consideration
of the important recommendations in
this plan as well as working partnership
with those groups continuing to work on
implementation.
• New York Rising UC Department of
Environment and Planning Department
staff served on the planning committees
for both the “Shandaken-Hardenburgh
NYRCR Plan” and the “Ulster Communities
NYRCR Plan.” These plans covered a total
of twelve local municipalities in the County,
and resulted in numerous featured and
proposed projects. Several of the featured
projects are currently being implemented
with allocated funds, however, many other
proposed NYRCR projects remain very
valid, but to date, have no implementation
funding or resources dedicated to them.
Any subsequent climate action planning
effort could build off of and expand
upon the local effort already invested in
identifying assets and conducting the risk
analysis to determine resiliency projects.
• PATHWAYS: Wildlife Habitat
Connectivity in the Changing Climate
of the Hudson Valley This document
identifies predicted corridors necessary
for species migration in response to
climate change. These predictions along
with the County’s core habitat data
would be a powerful resource to inform
mitigation actions related to species and
habitat conservation and adaption.
We also anticipate that any subsequent
climate action planning effort will utilize and
build on various existing County level plan-
ning documents and initiatives including: the
UC Open Space Plan, the Greenway Compact,
Housing Strategies Plan, Ulster Tomorrow,
Comprehensive Emergency Management
Plan, Year 2040 Long Range Transportation
Plan, Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation
Plan Update, Ulster County Government
Sustainability Initiatives Guide, and the
Stormwater Management Program Plan.
In addition, any next steps to expand and amplify climate action in Ulster County should take into close consideration these important regional and NY State level initiatives.
Appendices
Appendix A: GHG Inventory Methodology
and Assumptions
Appendix B: Completed Projects
Appendix C: Glossary of Terms and Acronyms
Appendix D: References and Additional
Information
A P P E N d I c E S
78 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
Appendix A: GHG Inventory Methodology and Assumptions
To track progress toward our GHG emissions
goals, all energy usage is monitored and
tracked by the Ulster County Department of
the Environment. The annual GHG emissions
inventory is calculated by aggregating this
data by sector, scope, source and type and
converting to metric tons of CO2-equivalent
(MTCO2e) using EPA conversion factors.
Ulster County Government Operations GHG Inventory MethodologyThe County references the Local Government
Operations Protocol, Version 1.1 (LGOP) as a
standard for accounting and reporting GHG
emissions from government operations.
This protocol was developed by Local
Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI).
To the extent possible, Ulster County sets
organizational boundaries for emissions
accounting using the operational control
approach. Per the ICLEI definition, Ulster
County has operational control over a
building or facility if either of these two
conditions exist:
• Ulster County owns the building
or facility, OR
• Ulster County has full authority to
introduce and implement operational and
health, safety and environmental policies.
The County accounts for leased facilities
where it is possible to obtain the necessary
data. Currently, the County does not estimate
emissions for spaces where only part of
the building is leased and the space is not
sub-metered.
ICLEI Reporting Sectors
The County currently reports the following
sectors and scopes:
• Buildings and Other Facilities: Scope 1 & 2
• Streetlights and Traffic Signals: Scope 2
• Transit Fleet: Scope 1
• Vehicle Fleet: Scope 1 & 2
• Water Delivery Facilities Scope 1 & 2
Ulster County does not own or operate
facilities in the following sectors:
• Wastewater Facilities
• Port Facilities
• Airport Facilities
• Power Generation Facilities
• Solid Waste Facilities
Other Process and Fugitive Emissions
Ulster County currently does not collect data
or estimate values for process and fugitive
emissions.
Biogenic source emissions
CO2 Emissions from biofuel usage are not
included as Scope 1 emissions in this inven-
tory in accordance with ICLEI protocol, as
the carbon concerned is of biogenic origin
Ulster County, New York | 79
and would have been emitted to the atmo-
sphere through the natural process of decay.
Biogenic emissions totals from combustion
of biofuels are tracked and reported as
supplemental information in this report.
Ulster County assumes all gasoline
purchased for fleet, transit and non-road
purposes is an E10 ethanol blend (10%
ethanol). Since 2015, the Ulster County
transit fleet has used a B5 biodiesel
(5% biodiesel) blend operationally
approximately 50% of the year.
Optional Scope 3 Emissions
Ulster County currently reports one Scope
3 source: Employee Commute. Usage data
was estimated for each reporting year
based on current number of employees
and assumptions based on employee
home of record data and an employee
survey conducted in November 2018.
Additional notes on employee commute
methodology are contained in Table 25.
Table 12. Renewable Generation Sites
Site System capacity Interconnection Type Installation year
New Paltz Substation Salt Shed 30.6 KW DC Behind the meter 2011
Town of Ulster Landfill 1.9 MW DC Remote net metering 2018
Table 13. Total Renewable Energy Generation (onsite and local generation)
Reporting year Energy Generation (kWh)
2018 927,285 1
2017 37,447
2016 42,164
2015 37,793
2014 36,862
2013 40,358
2012 31,203
2011 25,754
1 The Ulster Landfill Solar project came online in June 2018.
In 2010, Ulster County installed its first renewable energy system at the New Paltz Highway Substation. This 30.6 kw PV system is located “behind the meter” at the substation.
A P P E N d I c E S
80 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
As mandated in Executive Orders 1–2014,
1–2016, 2–2018, and 1–2019, Ulster
County purchases 100% renewable power
through the retirement of Green-e Certified
Renewable Energy Credits (RECs), thereby
offsetting Scope 2 emissions. Additionally,
Ulster County offsets 100% of its Scope 1 and
3 emissions through the purchase of Climate
Action Reserve certified carbon credits.
These offsets are not counted as actual
reductions in emissions (i.e. as prog-
ress toward GHG reduction goals). The
GHG accounting in this inventory report
assumes the absence of all offsets.
Emissions Factors Disclosure
Ulster County uses emissions factors
published by the EPA in the document
Emissions Factors for Greenhouse Gas
Inventories1 (last modified 3/9/3018).
100-year global warming potential (GWP)
multipliers were applied as published in
the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report.2
Ulster County does collect and maintain data
on vehicle miles traveled (VMT) for vehicle
fleet and transit fleet vehicles. However, to
simplify the accounting process for mobile
combustion, methane (CH4) and nitrous
oxide (N2O) emissions were estimated on a
per-gallon basis as described in the New York
Community and Regional GHG Inventory
1 Available at: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-03/documents/emission-factors_mar_2018_0.pdf
2 Available at: https://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg1/en/ch2s2-10-2.html
3 Available at: https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/administration_pdf/ghgguide.pdf
Guidance (Version 1.0, September 2015).3
To do so, CO2 emission values were
multiplied by factors of 0.001 for CH4 and
0.018 for N2O to obtain an emissions value.
2012 Baseline GHG InventoryUlster County completed its first GHG inven-
tory for government operations in 2012,
which was subsequently set as the baseline
year. The 2012 report included emissions
from purchased electricity, stationary
fuel combustion, mobile combustion from
government vehicle fleets, as well as emis-
sions from County employee commutes.
Baseline adjustmentsThe scope of Ulster County government
operations has undergone structural changes
since the 2012 baseline inventory. To accu-
rately compare current operating condi-
tions to the baseline year and quantify GHG
increases or decreases over time, Ulster
County normalizes its baseline to account
for changes that are due to a change in the
services provided by the government.
For example, in 2013, the Golden Hill
Health Care center was sold to a private
service provider and the County no longer
needed to provide this service to its
constituents. This change reduced the
County’s purchase of utilities and fleet
Ulster County, New York | 81
fuel significantly, saving approximately
3.5 MWh of electricity use, 53,000 gallons
of fuel oil, and 1,500 gallons of fleet fuels
per year. Because this was a divestiture of
services, the 2012 baseline GHG inventory
was updated to remove the emissions from
this property and government function.
For its GHG inventory, the County uses the
following set of rules to determine whether
a baseline adjustment is warranted: Golden Hill Health Care Center
Table 14. Baseline Adjustment Methodology
Structural change baseline Adjustment?
New areas of government jurisdiction (or insourcing) Yes
Acquisitions of property due to growth No
Divestitures of property due to change in jurisdiction (or outsourcing) Yes
Divestitures of property due to consolidation or efficiency of services No
Access to energy use data that was not previously available Yes
Table 15. Adjustments to Normalize 2012 GHG Baseline
baseline change Effective year*4 Reporting Sector Scope change to baseline Quantity (MT cO2e)
Golden Hill Health Care Center
2012 Buildings and Other Facilities / Vehicle Fleet
1 & 2 –1,216.4
Patriot’s Project— Veteran’s Housing
2014 Buildings and Other Facilities
1 & 2 +18.9
Sheriff’s Substation Wawarsing**5
2015 Buildings and Other Facilities
1 & 2 +6.3
Family and Child Advocacy Center
2016 Buildings and Other Facilities
1 & 2 +9.7
4 Effective year is the first full calendar year of energy-use data.
5 No data available for 2012.
A P P E N d I c E S
82 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
Table 16. 2012 Normalized Baseline Emissions Summary (Metric Tons)
cO2e cO2 ch4 N2O
ScOP
E 1
DIRE
CT
EMIS
SION
S Mobile Combustion 4,801.5 4,709.8 4.8 86.9
Stationary Combustion 2,372.7 2,366.0 2.1 4.6 Sc
OPE 2
IN
DIRE
CT
EMIS
SION
S Purchased Electricity 2,290.3 2,281.7 2.2 6.4
TOTAL 9,464.5 9,357.6 9.1 97.9
Table 17. 2012 Normalized GHG Emissions By Sector (Metric Tons CO2e)
ScOPE 1 ScOPE 2
build
ings
an
d Oth
er
Faci
litie
s Purchased Electricity 2,279.4
Stationary Combustion 2,369.1
Stre
etlig
hts
and T
raffi
c Si
gnal
s
Purchased Electricity 4.8
Tran
sit
Flee
t
Mobile Combustion 1,670.5
Vehi
cle
Flee
t
Mobile Combustion 3,131.0
Purchased Electricity
Wat
er
deliv
ery
Faci
litie
s Purchased Electricity 6.0
Stationary Combustion 4.0
TOTAL 7,174.6 2,290.2
Biogenic EmissionsIn 2012, Ulster County emitted 115.3 metric tons of CO2e from biogenic sources.
These emissions are attributed solely to the mobile combustion of ethanol.
Table 18. 2012 Biogenic Emissions (Metric Tons CO2e)
Sector biogenic Emissions
Transit 2.6
Vehicle 112.7
TOTAL 115.3
Ulster County, New York | 83
Optional Scope 3 EmissionsFor the 2012 baseline, Ulster County estimated the anthropogenic Scope 3 emissions
attributed to employee commutes as 2,341 MT CO2e. See Appendix C for assumptions
and calculations.
Table 19. 2012 Scope 3 Emissions (Metric Tons)
cO2e cO2 ch4 N2O
ScOP
E 3 Mobile Combustion 2,341.0 2,294.3 2.2 44.3
Streetlights and Traffic Signals 0.1%
Water Delivery Facilities 0.1%
Vehicle Fleet
35.1%
46.7%
18.1%
Buildingsand
Other Facilities
TransitFleet
2012 Ulster County Government Operations
GHG Emissions by Sector
34%
24%
17%
16%
7%
2%
Diesel
Electricity
Gasoline
Heating Oil
Natural Gas
Propane
2012 Ulster County Government Operations
GHG Emissions by Energy Type
Figure 18. Figure 19.
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84 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
2018 GHG Inventory UpdateThe GHG inventory for Ulster County was updated in 2019 using calendar year 2018 data.
Table 20. 2018 GHG Emissions Summary (Metric Tons)
cO2e cO2 ch4 N2O
ScOP
E 1
dIRE
cT
EMIS
SION
S Mobile Combustion 5,018.7 4,921.8 5.1 91.8
Stationary Combustion 2,755.9 2,748.8 2.3 4.8
ScOP
E 2
INdI
REcT
EM
ISSI
ONS Purchased Electricity 1,462.9 1,455.9 2.6 4.4
TOTAL 9,237.5 9,126.5 10.0 101.0
Table 21. 2018 GHG Emissions By Sector (Metric Tons CO2e)
ScOPE 1 ScOPE 2
build
ings
an
d Oth
er
Faci
litie
s Purchased Electricity 1,452.2
Stationary Combustion 2,749.2
Stre
etlig
hts
and T
raffi
c Si
gnal
s
Purchased Electricity 3.8
Tran
sit
Flee
t
Mobile Combustion 1,578.9
Vehi
cle
Flee
t
Mobile Combustion 3,439.7
Purchased Electricity 1.1
Wat
er
deliv
ery
Faci
litie
s Purchased Electricity 5.8
Stationary Combustion 6.7
TOTAL 7,774.6 1,462.9
Ulster County, New York | 85
Biogenic EmissionsIn 2018, Ulster County emitted 186 metric tons of CO2e from biogenic sources. These
emissions are entirely attributed to the mobile combustion of ethanol and biodiesel.
Table 22. 2018 Biogenic Emissions (Metric Tons CO2e)
Sector biogenic Emissions
Transit 51.1
Vehicle 134.9
TOTAL 186.0
Optional Scope 3 EmissionsIn 2018, Ulster County estimated the anthropogenic Scope 3 emissions attributed to
employee commutes as 2,127 MT CO2e.
Table 23. 2018 Scope 3 Emissions (Metric Tons)
cO2e cO2 ch4 N2O
ScOP
E 3 Mobile Combustion 2,127.1 2,084.6 2.2 40.3
Buildingsand
Other Facilities48.5%
Streetlights and Traffic Signals 0.1%
TransitFleet
16.0%
VehicleFleet
35.2%
Water Delivery Facilities 0.2%
2018 Ulster County Government Operations
GHG Emissions by Sector
31%
16%23%
16%
11%
3%
Diesel
Electricity
Gasoline
Heating Oil
Natural Gas
Propane
2018 Ulster County Government Operations
GHG Emissions by Energy Type
Figure 20. Figure 21.
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86 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
Table 24. Scope 1 and 2 Activity Data from GHG Inventory by Energy Type
Energy Type 2012 2017 2018
Biodiesel (gal) — 3,226 3,521
Diesel (gal) 306,069 269,670 276,476
Electricity (kWh) 12,305,084 11,913,628 10,811,574
Ethanol (gal) 20,056 25,135 26,562
Gasoline (gal) 180,508 226,218 239,060
Heating Oil (gal) 151,601 126,728 144,424
Natural Gas (CCF) 120,952 181,154 189,892
Propane (gal) 28,227 35,416 42,194
Scope 3 Employee Commute Calculations
The methodology below was developed by VHB Engineering, Surveying and
Landscape Architecture, P.C. for Ulster County’s 2012 greenhouse gas inventory
using employee surveys and home address to work location mapping techniques.
Table 25. Assumptions for Employee Commute Calculations
Vehicle Type Percentage of Employees using People per vehicle Vehicle MPG
Single Occupancy Vehicle 81% 1 21.64
Carpool 10% 2.44 21.64
Motorcycle 1% 1 43.38
Transit 3%
Bike 1%
Walk 4%
Work at home 0%
Other 0%
Average one-way commute length: 11 milesWorkdays per year: 240Fuel type: E10 gasoline
Table 26. Employee Data
year Number of Full-time equivalent employees
2012 1,390
2017 1,257
2018 1,263
Ulster County, New York | 87
Appendix B: Completed Projects
Project completion year Estimated Annual Resource Savings
(kbtu)
Estimated Annual Emissions
Reduction (MT cO2e)
Ulster County Area Transportation (UCAT) / Lighting / Exterior lighting 2010 — —
Ulster County Office Building / Lighting / Interior Lighting Upgrade 2011 118,618 5
Court House / Lighting / Interior Lighting Upgrade 2011 251,608 10
Golden Hill Office Building / Lighting / Interior Lighting Upgrade 2011 265,412 10
Information Services / Lighting / Interior Lighting Upgrade 2011 160,345 6
Ulster County Office Building / Lighting / Interior Lighting Upgrade 2011 118,617 5
Records Storage / Lighting / Interior Lighting Upgrade 2011 95,782 4
Ulster County Area Transportation (UCAT) / Lighting / Interior Lighting Upgrade
2011 106,113 4
Golden Hill Office Building / HVAC Equipment / Cooling Tower Replacement
2012 48,478 2
Public Works / HVAC Equipment / Cooling Tower Replacement 2012 13,873 1
Crown Street Lighting / Lighting / Exterior lighting 2014 — —
Trudy Resnick Farber / Lighting / Exterior lighting 2014 29,855 1
Ulster County Office Building / Lighting / Exterior lighting 2014 56,537 2
Golden Hill Office Building / Lighting / Exterior lighting 2014 35,365 1
Heavy Vehicle Maintenance/Quarry / Lighting / Exterior lighting 2014 268,975 11
Ulster Avenue Office Complex (DSS, BRC) / Lighting / Exterior lighting 2014 198,903 8
Public Works / Lighting / Exterior lighting 2014 — —
Ulster County Law Enforcement Center / Lighting / Exterior lighting 2015 668,609 26
Probation Department / Lighting / Exterior lighting 2015 43,639 2
Carr / Lighting / Interior Lighting Upgrade 2015 7,773 0
Court House / Lighting / Interior Lighting Upgrade 2015 186,797 7
Dept of Environment / Lighting / Interior Lighting Upgrade 2015 6,322 0
Emergency Management / Lighting / Interior Lighting Upgrade 2015 39,214 2
Golden Hill Office Building / Lighting / Interior Lighting Upgrade 2015 176,359 7
Probation Department / Lighting / Interior Lighting Upgrade 2015 47,420 2
Public Works / Lighting / Interior Lighting Upgrade 2015 34,007 1
Records Storage / Lighting / Interior Lighting Upgrade 2015 53,483 2
Trudy Resnick Farber / Lighting / Interior Lighting Upgrade 2015 126,708 5
Ulster County Area Transportation (UCAT) / Lighting / Interior Lighting Upgrade
2015 88,811 3
Ulster County Law Enforcement Center / Lighting / Interior Lighting Upgrade
2015 944,541 37
Ulster County Office Building / Lighting / Interior Lighting Upgrade 2015 344,824 14
Carr / HVAC Equipment / DHW Heater Replacement 2015 — —
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88 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
Project completion year Estimated Annual Resource Savings
(kbtu)
Estimated Annual Emissions
Reduction (MT cO2e)
Court House / Lighting / Exterior Lighting 2015 60,491 2
Ulster County Law Enforcement Center / Scheduling / Building Scheduling
2015 1,199,290 69
Records Storage / Lighting / Exterior lighting 2016 — —
Court House / HVAC Equipment / Replace cooling tower 2018 — —
Ulster County Area Transportation (UCAT) / Lighting / Exterior lighting 2018 53,234 2
Quarry Mechanics Complex / HVAC Equipment / Install radiant system boiler(s) and controls
2018 — —
Install HVAC/air exchange equipment 2018 — —
Ulster County Law Enforcement Center / Lighting / Interior Lighting Upgrade
2018 2,476,177 97
Quarry Welding Shop / HVAC Equipment / Install HVAC / air exchange equipment
2018 — —
Appendix B: Completed Projects continued
Ulster County, New York | 89
Appendix C: Glossary of Terms and Acronyms
ASHRAE American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers.
Additionality The principal that carbon
offsets must represent real, permanent,
verified, and enforceable reductions. Which
must come from activities or project that
are additional to what would occur under a
business-as-usual scenario.
AVL Auto Vehicle Locator.
BAS Building Automation System.
Biodiesel Blend a blend of diesel and bio
fuel, for example a 5% biodiesel blend will
be denoted as B5, and a 20% blend will be
denoted as B20.
Btu British thermal unit, a measure of heat
equal to the amount of energy it takes to
raise one pound of water by one degree
Fahrenheit, also, the heat given by a common
match flame.
CAP Climate Action Plan.
CAR Climate Action Reserve, one third party
verification available for Carbon Credits.
CCF Centum Cubic Feet, representing
100 cubic feet
CDG Community Distributed Generation.
Carbon Credit a carbon credit is a third-
party verified instrument representing the
emissions reduction or removal of one metric
ton of CO2e. Project-based offsets represent
emissions reductions that are real, measur-
able, permanent, in excess of regulatory
requirements and common practice and
are additional to business-as-usual, net of
leakage, and used only once.
CDD Cooling Degree Day.
CH4 Methane.
CO2 Carbon dioxide.
CO2e Carbon dioxide equivalent, wherein all
greenhouse gas emissions are combined
to a single metric; methane has 25 times
the heat-trapping capability as carbon
dioxide while nitrous oxide has 298 time the
heat-trapping capability as carbon dioxide.
For example, one pound of methane, one
pound of nitrous oxide, and one pound of
carbon dioxide, will have the equivalent
heat-trapping capability of 324 pounds of
carbon dioxide. It should be noted that
methane and nitrous oxide are the only two
other GHGs included in this report in the
CO2e calculation.
Coefficient of Performance the ratio of the
energy output to the input.
CRRA Community Risk and Resiliency Act.
CSC Climate Smart Communities.
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90 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
ECM Energy Conservation Measure.
EO Executive Order.
EMC Environmental Management Council.
EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
ESCO Energy Services Company.
EV Electric Vehicle.
EVSE Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment, a
charging standard to ensure safe charging.
Gal Gallon.
GHG Greenhouse Gas. Carbon dioxide,
methane, and other gases that accumulate
in the atmosphere inhibiting radiant heat loss
to space.
GRF Green Revolving Fund.
GRITS Green Revolving Investment Tracking
System.
GSHP Ground Source Heat Pump.
GVWR Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.
GWP Global Warming Potential.
HDD Heating Degree Day.
HVAC Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning.
ICLEI International Council of Local
Environmental Initiatives, this member-
ship organization is also known as Local
Governments for Sustainability.
IECC International Energy Conservation Code.
IPCC International panel on Climate Change.
kW kilowatt, a measure of instantaneous
electric power equal to one thousand watts.
kWh kilowatt-hour, an amount of electrical
energy, as one kilowatt of power over a
period of one hour. Equal to 3,412 British
thermal units (Btu).
LED Light Emitting Diode.
LEED Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design, the most widely used green building
rating system.
LGOP Local Government Operations Protocol.
MPG Miles per gallon.
MT Metric Ton, equal to 2206 lbs.
MW Megawatt, a measure of instantaneous
electric power equal to one million watts.
MWh Megawatt hours, a measure of power
over time.
Appendix C: Glossary continued
Ulster County, New York | 91
Net Carbon Neutral Operations Strategy
a strategy to achieve net zero carbon emis-
sions by balancing carbon released with an
equivalent amount offset.
N2O Nitrous oxide.
NYPA New York Power Authority
NYSDEC New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation.
NYSERDA New York State Energy Research
and Development Authority.
NYSOGS New York State Office of General
Services.
Offset An action intended to compensate
for the emission of carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere by an entity, by reducing carbon
emissions or sequestering carbon elsewhere.
It generally takes the form of a tradeable
market instrument that can be purchased
and retired in equal quantity to the
emissions produced.
REC renewable energy credit, or REC
(pronounced: rek), is a market-based instru-
ment that represents the property rights
to the environmental, social and other
non-power attributes of renewable electricity
generation. RECs are issued when one mega-
watt-hour (MWh) of electricity is generated
and delivered to the electricity grid from a
renewable energy resource. It is generally
acceptable to claim the use of renewable
power when retiring RECs from the North
American market.
RNEM Remote Net Energy Metering.
Scope 1 emissions All direct GHG emissions
(with the exception of direct CO2 emissions
from biogenic sources).
Scope 2 emissions Indirect GHG emis-
sions associated with the consumption of
purchased or acquired electricity, steam,
heating, or cooling.
Scope 3 emissions All other indirect
emissions not covered in Scope 2, such as
emissions resulting from the extraction
and production of purchased materials and
fuels, transport-related activities in vehicles
not owned or controlled by the reporting
entity (e.g., employee commuting and busi-
ness travel), outsourced activities, waste
disposal, etc.
SC-CO2 Social Cost of Carbon dioxide.
therm A unit of natural gas, equal to
100,000 Btu.
UC Ulster County.
UCAT Ulster County Area Transit.
UCDoE Ulster County Department of the
Environment.
VMT vehicle miles traveled.
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92 | Government Operations Climate Action Plan
Appendix D: References and Additional Information
Building Benchmarking Report (2018)Available here: https://ulstercountyny.gov/environment/sustainability-energy/building-energy-benchmarking
Emissions Factors for Greenhouse Gas Inventories (EPA) Available here: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-03/documents/emission-factors_mar_2018_0.pdf
Green Fleet Report (2018)Available here: https://ulstercountyny.gov/environment/environment/sustainability-energy/green-fleet-initiative
Green Revolving Investment Tracking System Available here: http://www.endowmentinstitute.org/
ICLEI LGOP Version 1.1Available here: http://icleiusa.org/ghg-protocols/
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment ReportAvailable here: https://www.ipcc.ch/assessment-report/ar4/
Mid Hudson Regional Sustainability PlanAvailable here: https://www.orangecountygov.com/300/Mid-Hudson-Regional-Sustainability-Plan/
New York Community and Regional GHG Inventory Guidance (Version 1.0, September 2015)Available here: https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/administration_pdf/ghgguide.pdf
New York State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan Volume 1: New York State Hazard Mitigation PlanAvailable here: http://www.dhses.ny.gov/recovery/mitigation/plan.cfm
NOAA Storm Events DatabaseAvailable here: https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/
Responding to Climate Change in New York State (ClimAID)Available here: https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/About/Publications/Research%20and%20Development%20Technical%20
Reports/Environmental%20Research%20and%20Development%20Technical%20Reports/Response%20to%20
Climate%20Change%20in%20New%20York
Ulster County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (2017)Available here: https://ulstercountyny.gov/emergency-services/hazard-mitigation/draft-plan-update/
Ulster County Sustainability Initiatives GuideAvailable here: https://ulstercountyny.gov/environment/department-environment
ULSTER COUNTY
DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT
845-338-7287
PO Box 1800
17 Pearl Street
Kingston, NY 12401